Vacation Vignettes #5 - The Slide

The Slide

Whaddya think? I'm not sure the kids had fun.

Here's the story.

The pictures don't show how big this thing is. It's pretty tall and it's a long climb to the top. Emma was NOT interested in going alone. Which is how I ended up along for the ride. I committed myself to slide with her until she was comfortable going alone - one or two slides oughta do it.

So, you may wonder ... how many times did I drag my 39-year-old body up that slide? More than twice, I assure you. (I included one picture of myself in the above collage, only because, mercifully, the view of me is mostly blocked by my dear daughter - pictures of me in my old-lady floral swimsuit-with-a-skirt don't belong on the internet.)

I tell you, it was quite a ride. (By the way, on the basis of overwhelming empirical evidence, I have concluded that dissimilarly weighted people are at a disadvantage when sliding together.) We held hands and, inevitably, I slid a little faster, resulting in our being turned sideways and me dragging (yes, dragging) the poor girl along to the bottom. It was either that or let go of her hand completely, which I dare say she may have interpreted as abandonment. Embarrassing, to be careening downward, out of control, arms and legs flailing about, but oh! did I laugh!! This turning sideways also had the unfortunate result of a fair amount of water being forced into our ears when we hit the pool of water at the bottom of the slide. Which is why you see Emma with her hands tightly clenched over her ears. It took a while to dislodge all that water.

Eventually, I begged off and suggested she slide with her brother if she was still nervous. Of course, he was thrilled to accompany his little sister (now re-read that sentence with a decidedly sarcastic tone.) On the first attempt at a sibling slide, he left her in the dust, having not taken a good hold of her hand, and having not really waited at all for her to be ready, and really having no interest in sliding with his sister whatsoever. He had flips to do and people to impress.

So there she was. My little girl. Stranded at the top of the slide. She would not slide down on her own. We waited and watched as she let child after child (after adult) take her place next in line. I managed to quell the burning desire to go rescue her. I have learned with this child (and believe she is the better for it), that she must often be forced to face and overcome such hurdles on her own. No, 'force' is not the right word. It is better to say it this way: She must be permitted to fight her own battles. Because it is a privilege to be afforded the opportunity to succeed (or to fail) in the things we undertake and against the things that most frighten us.

But, sometimes we need a little help and it is good when the help doesn't come from mom or dad. Eventually, her brother made it back around the circuit and appeared again at her side. He redeemed himself, proving his tenderness of heart, by being much more solicitous, and down they came.

That ride was all the girl needed to jump-start her engine. For the remainder of the time, she was quite independent and unafraid. And, well, you can see the smile.