Perseverance

Initially the word tunnel apparently didn't click in my head - I mean really, my mind was more set on "maze" - no covering, wide paths. I had it all wrong. The entrance was small, elementary version of me small, but in I went on my hands and knees, flashlight in the strongest death grip my phalanges could muster. I entered, two kiddos before me, none beside or behind me....(pause for an aside - reliving this adventure, is causing the claustrophobia to come back all over again and I currently am in the spacious living room)....straight ahead we went. I was lead left. Left was a dead end and that is when I panicked, internally of course because after all, I am the leader.... (another pause for insider information: did I mention it was pitch black? - I have severe fright of darkness - I mean there is no predictability in it, no way of knowing when something bad will come, which is why my plan is to back myself into a corner - but that's a whole other story)....so there I am in this small tube of stacked hay bales giving myself a mental pep talk. Corners were hard, especially if it was the wrong turn...turning around simply wasn't an easy task for me so it was decided that I could sit in the junctions and send off the rug rats to find the delightful exit. Soon they were so confident in their adventuring they pretty much left me in the dust; actually quite literally there were times I was hollering after them to wait for me. The barn guy, Noah, he was getting quite a chuckle from all my commentary. Some of my comments were along the lines of "you didn't make this with the mindset of Adults going through did you" to which he replied that a 6 month pregnant lady successfully made all the turns. I retorted that my hips are apparently wider than an expectant mother's (insert Lucas' cruel summer joke here: "you have hips that can bare Spartan babies") I heard a belly laugh in the abysmal darkness. After much winding and crawling and jabbing of hay ends, we found a set of stairs that had a covering over them, so this giant (I literally have never felt more gargantuan in my life) crawled up the stairs on her knees (I have the bruises to prove it). We crossed a bridge that I almost ate dirt on (and with my amazing coordination I assumed I would have managed to either fall through the bridge or ensnare my legs in the ropes, rendering myself helplessly upside down and in need of a hero.) Back into the tiny tunnel we go, there was one turn that was so tight I "slithered" through it on my side. We were reaching the end, I could taste it....well, actually, I was tasting the hay but I sent my troops out to scour the lands and alas!! I hear a "I found it guys!!! THIS WAY THIS WAY” I speed crawl down the tunnel to an opening of bright glowing daylight and a victory slide!! SUCCESS!!!! Survival!



and then I did it again. and again, but backwards. :)

Much Love,
Rachel