TLB: During summers when I was a kid my mom shooed us outside in the morning and told us not to come back until dinnertime. My sister and I got into lots of adventures on our own. Our neighborhood had a “haunted house”, really an abandoned farmhouse. and I got the reputation for being brave by exploring it on my own. That was more foolish than brave because the floors were rotten and full of holes. I could have ended up being the ghost! Debbie, what was a brave moment for you?
DLD: That’s funny Tami, we have something in common. I also had a “haunted house” that I liked to go into when we lived in New Jersey. There was a tree in the backyard that dropped huge pinecones and I would run through the house to the backyard and scoop up as many as I could and put them in my red, white and blue patent leather satchel. When the other kids saw the haul of pinecones that I had, they thought I was fearless and brave because they wouldn’t step foot in the house. I too, was more foolish than brave—I had no business going into that house.
I think it is interesting that both of us answered a question about bravery by reminiscing about haunted houses!
Additionally, I had a huge fear of dogs especially when I rode my bike. Whenever I mustered the courage to pet a dog it made me feel brave. I am no longer scared of dogs. I love them now.