I realized that when I decided what I wanted to write today: this weekend's big "bold" move. It was not going kayaking when thunder started rolling.
That might seem to be simply a reasonable decision (not to mention a reflexive one) rather than bold.
But I had my boat pumped up (as you see) and ready to go. I was pretty pumped up about getting out there myself. I was so tempted to go out for a few minutes anyway.
I'd heard one little rumble a while earlier, but decided it was an anomaly. Then I saw boats start coming off the lake just when I was starting to push in. One guy was wading ashore to get his car and trailer. "Did you hear thunder out there?" I asked him.
"I sure did," he said. "Some real slappers. My daughter said, 'Get me out of here.'"
So I pulled the plugs, deflating both kayak and would-be paddler.
This might seem like elementary wisdom, rather than boldness. But if I thought of it as wise or reasonable, I might not be persuaded, since wisdom can seem rather tedious to a late-middle-aged adolescent like me. If instead I think of the necessary, wise, and reasonable choice as bold, then it's easier.
Does that make sense? I'm simply making the right choice and coding it as "bold." This could work for a lot of things, I now realize. The technique definitely has possibilities: i.e., only the truly bold individual finishes returning all her phone calls today.
Parents use this sort of thinking with children: "only big girls get to...make up their own beds..."
Well, I'm starting to see the potential for using it on myself. For an artist, or anyone self-employed or working at home, skills of self-management, however seemingly silly, are crucial.
If you like this post, please bookmark it on del.icio.us, share it on StumbleUpon, vote for it on Digg. Thanks so much.
7 comments:
Greetings from a fellow middle-aged adolescent. I'm a kyaker in my imagaination, but have excused my failure to take the bold step towards reality. I didn't know a kayak was made that I could lift. If you're lifting solo, surely I can lift! How heavy is your kayak? Thanks for the information.
Greetings to you, 2gg! Your gardening website is delightful. I too have a garden, but our pet spider is on the light fixture in our upstairs bathroom. She's a serious builder, a regular Donald Trump.
About the kayak, it's a Sea Eagle, which I've seen described as 25 pounds and 40 pounds, not sure which. It's a wonderful boat. Sunday afternoon out paddling, I was thinking: there couldn't be a better toy for me than this.
Here's a link to my best post about it, which links to the Sea Eagle site: http://peggypayne.blogspot.com/search?q=sea+eagle.
I loved seeing the picture of your kayak! I think it is very bold of you to get out there, by yourself, in the middle of a big lake, and paddle around by yourself anyway! To make the decision NOT to go out when you heard the thunder was a bold move. It went against what the "middle-aged adolescent"(I LOVE that term.) in you wanted to do, and that is VERY bold! I know this because I have had lots of experience listening to the arguments of teenagers and it is difficult to stand up to their form of logic. You must be very bold in order to stand up to the rationalities of an adolescent.(especially when that adolescent is ones self!)
Hugs,
Debbie
I read these days that teenagers' brains are physiologically different than adults'.
But I think we keep the earlier structure and can switch to it at any time.
Conversely, I was 45 as a child and teenager, liked it, and never expected to be anything else. It's puzzling to find that I'm now 59, and skidding fast toward that larger rounder number.
Even though I'm a bit behind you in age, I do understand what you mean, Peggy!
Hi Peggy?
By any chance, have you kayaked in winter weather? As would be in the NE? You seem to use a kayak similar to mine and I wonder how it would stand up to very low temps.
Thanks for any info!
Hydrabadchik@yahoo.com
I wish I could help. I've only been out in fairly temperate weather. I've considered getting a wet suit and going in winter, but so far haven't. And I'm in NC, so it's never extremely cold.
Your email address sounds as if you're in Hyderabad, where it's likely never too cold for kayaking.
Is that where you're from originally?
Post a Comment