My Fear-Filled Visit to a Tower

When I wrote about being back home, I mentioned that I had an an almost paralyzing fear when we visited a very high tower.

A commenter thought that maybe we were in Toronto or Seattle. Now, those are some towers! I guess the one I was in may not be very high to some, but it sure was to me!

The tower I was in was actually in Michigan and it is 210 feet high. Originally built by a Catholic Church as the Shrine of the Missionaries, the church later cut the project and now it houses a little museum on the ground floor and you can ride an elevator to some observation decks. We decided to pay the $12.00 fee and check out the view. The view was great, but my land legs didn’t do so well.

I almost freaked out. I started feeling my legs giving out from underneath me. It was a windy day, and this tower is just that…a tower. It’s not a tall building that has offices or even has anything between the ground floor and the observation decks (if it did, it would be more stable in my mind). Not to mention it’s pure concrete. The more I thought about the structure I started worrying more about how stable it was and the more scared I became.

I was very ready to go back down on the elevator. By that time, I was near meltdown and even the elevator ride started to get me nervous. What if the cable broke? What if we plummeted to the ground? The only thing that kept me together was my son right there next to me. I know I would have lost it if it was just me and my husband.

Sometimes I really don’t understand my fear of heights. I mean, this tower visit really showed how scared I am and I probably will not go in that tower again. But, some of you remember that I like small airplane rides. Adding to that, one of the things I want to do when we are better off financially is to go parasailing. Just goes to show how complex the mind can be, I guess.

Writing this post made me think about financial fears and whether I have any. I actually do have one, and it’s one that probably holds us back financially. I sometimes have a hard time getting the words out when I write posts like that, but I’ll try to explain my financial fear this week.

Posted by Tricia on August 26, 2007 at 11:17 PM in About Me | 2 Comments »
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Kevin responded:
Posted: August 27th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
I can understand. I’m perfectly fine in a small airplane, or in a tall building by a window, as long as it’s not a full floor to ceiling window. But get me standing on a high diving board near the edge, or on a cliff, and my legs get all wobbly too.

I have been to the CN Tower in Toronto. Went to the very top and looked out the observation portholes and was fine. However I really had to muster the nerve to step out onto the glass floor looking 110 stories down. I think for me it’s the fear of accidentally falling. As long as I’m enclosed, I don’t care how high I am.
Matt responded:
Posted: August 28th, 2007 at 7:46 am
I’ve never had a fear of heights myself and I like flying but there have been a few times where the turbulence really unnerves me.