1). The move to an apartment in the city
2). The creepy alley entrance to said apartment
3). The multiple car accidents.
4). Gallivanting off by Herself to New York City.
This is the scene of her latest attempt:
This is the Sun Trust building in downtown Richmond. It is 25 stories high. And this:
is The Child’s bottom coming over the top of the building. The baby that I carried for more than 9 months is on the edge of that precipice and I am on the ground holding a camera.
The Child’s middle name is the same as my maternal grandfather. This was decided long before she was born. And it is apt. She is as fearless as he. She also has the same soft heart that he hid behind gruffness and bluff. This was a fundraiser for Special Olympics. She raised over $1100 and came down carrying a picture of our adorable cousin Luke. We were equal parts terrified and proud. Both emotions clutched our throats and filled our eyes.
She fills me with awe. I wonder where she came from. She is somehow so much more than I have ever been – braver, stronger, smarter and so very, very bright.
The author Elizabeth Stone said: “Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” How my heart could have been in my throat and coming down the side of that building at the same time is a conundrum, but it was.
Wow! Way to go, Jess, and congratulations Kim & Mike for surviving relatively unscathed. Not sure I could have watched, much less photographed it.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I couldn't NOT watch. For the last half, we mostly clutched one another and WILLED her safely down.
ReplyDeleteImpressive! I'm proud that she worked up the gumption 2 do that and u and mike didn't throttle her once she was safely on terra firma lol.
ReplyDeleteWOW! That is AMAZING Kim! Please tell Jess CONGRATS big time from us! I know I would never be able to do something like that unless my fat ass was on fire! Love to you all!
ReplyDeleteI worry sometimes that she is likely to try running in front of a freight train. As a mother of Brian who dares to confront danger over and over,I've had to reconcile my uneasiness by knowing that if the unthinkable comes to pass he will have embraced his passions and lived his life with unfurled sails. That's just what my remarkable granddaughter is doing. You would miss a lot of beauty in life if you stayed out of the woods for fear of stepping on a snake!
ReplyDeleteOh, my Stars and Garters!! What a DAY!
ReplyDeleteI know your heart was just everywhere there is---up and down and in your throat and racing ahead of time. Now THAT is something to tell the neighbors---does Richmond still have a TOWN CRIER?
To raise someone so fierce and fearless is an awesome feat, and when they're so SMART as well---wow.
And you know---I STILL wanna do that---that trust-yourself-in-space kind of thing. Just to peep over that building and know that all between me and that faraway pavement was going to be faith, skill, wire and air---my my.
I've always dreamed of living that sails-unfurled life, as well. Brava, Jess!!
Urk!
ReplyDeletewow - makes me a bit dizzy just looking at it! What a remarkable thing to do - good for her! And, I can imagine it was exactly that 'terror and pride' that you felt watching. thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteScotty - Welcome, Sweetie Pie! No throttling, but I did smack her butt and threaten to come naked to the next daredevil display!
ReplyDeleteGary - Well, you beat me - my fat ass would BURN OFF before I tossed it over a 25 story building!
Jo - I worry about the same thing and have for years. The balance with her has always been between keeping her safe and not clipping her wings. She has such lovely wings.
Rachel - Thank you - she makes me crazy sometimes, but she is also my hero. I've never called her an only child, but instead a 'solo' - it suits her so much better.
Forest - Dizzy is the word!
She is doing just the opposite. Giving you life..at it's fullest! You sound proud and happy and this makes me smile!!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Mona