Riding the Beast

I watched with pride as Selby was recently given the opportunity to face a fear and emerge triumphant. Remember that chapter in the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood where Sidda is afraid to climb upon the back of Lawanda The Magnificent, a huge elephant? Then, after she returns home and changes her mind, her mother, Vivi, agrees to take Sidda back for a ride. They climb upon the elephant's flat, grey back and pretend to be a queen and a princess riding through the jungle. Vivi tells her young daughter: "There is nothing, anywhere, to be afraid of! Lawanda loves us, and we are not afraid!"

This scene came back to me as I watched Selby flounder over whether or not to ride Molly, a huge, white horse, at a classmate's horseback riding birthday party. After watching every other child ride, Selby took the leap of faith and climbed upon Molly's back. She loved it! Like Sidda, when that ride was over, she was a different little girl. One who can do anything she sets her mind to.

This confidence has spilled over to swim classes she recently started - another opportunity for her to face some personal fears.

This is one of the beautiful things about being a parent - our children give us the opportunity to re-experience life's lessons through their eyes. I welcome this sweet reminder to face my fears. From climbing on a horse or putting your face underwater...to writing a novel...without taking that leap of faith, without believing we can do it and then doing it, we'd miss out on the real fun!

"It's life Sidda. You just climb on the beast and ride."
- Vivi Abbot, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.