Words from The Crone

We all have that “most embarrassing moment” in our life. You remember it, don’t you? I thought so. I have often thought about mine and wonder what is it about being embarrassed that etches such a deep memory in our brain cells. I can’t remember the balance in my checking account but I can sure remember my most embarrassing moment. You too, I’m sure.

Mine actually happened when I was six-years old, or 64 years ago. It was even in March of 1946 so you know I remember all too well. I was on the playground at the Isaac School in Phoenix, Arizona in Maricopa County. I have all these tiny details because I ripped off my science book and they are stamped on the inside cover. I love that book and don’t plan to return it. But, back to my “Moment.”

It was recess, a time when we are all supposed to have fun! Sure. Does anyone remember those things called “monkey bars?” They come in various sizes and shapes, but the one I was on was very large and very high and looked like the skeleton of a very big tent. It was so inviting to climb and climb I did. Up one level of rungs, up the second level of rungs, up the third level of rungs, and up the fourth level of rungs. Several of my classmates were climbing all over it as well and many of them were performing a myriad of movements, some swinging by one leg, others by a couple of arms, another by two legs hanging upside down.

I wanted to be one of them and so I decided that the two legs hanging upside down was easy. I didn’t stop to think that they were all boys and had pants on. I, like any proper little girl, had a dress on. Whoops – upside down I went and swoosh, over my head went my dress. I couldn’t see a thing. Obviously, this was not working. The boys were snickering of course, they could see my under panties! Good thing they weren’t from Victoria’s Secret! It was also obvious that I had to get out of this embarrassing position.

It got worse! As I tried to use my torso to lift myself up to grab an upper rung and get down off this monster, I got one gawd awful cramp in my left calf. It hurt so much I couldn’t lift myself up to get off. And so, I hung there upside down, dress over my head, with my not-so-sexy under pants showing. Talk about being mortified.

It got worse. The recess bell rang and all the kids ran inside. The playground was empty except for one little six-year old girl hanging upside down on the monkey bars. I was so embarrassed I couldn’t even yell or cry or whimper. I just hung there.

What seemed like a lifetime passed and finally, thanks be to God, my teacher came out and rescued me. It was really hard going back into the classroom, but well, we all know that we have to face our embarrassment whether we like it or not. And so I did. I learned a valuable lesson that day however. No one laughed at me or tormented me or scolded me. In reality, they couldn’t care less it seemed. They said, “Hi,” and back to our classwork we went. I learned to laugh at myself and recognize that while our embarrassment is very personal and ego-bruising to us, to others it is just another minor event in this huge event we call life! I learned to get over it – quickly!

This entry was posted on Monday, June 21st, 2010 at 2:37 PM and is filed under Life in General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.