Hesitation.

For a pelican, he sure looks a little hesitant about getting into the pool….

Photos taken 10 July 2014, on the South Saskatchewan River near the CPR Bridge, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – something I was more than a bit hesitant to cross over on. It would be an understatement to say I’m not good with either heights or bridges and this old pedestrian bridge adjacent to the rail bridge completely unnerved me. Built in 1909, it felt decidedly creaky to me, although everyone else seemed blissfully unaware that we were all going to fall off into the river below if, for a split second, I took my white-knuckled fingers off of the oh-too-short railing or stepped on the wrong wooden board. 😉

Do you have any phobias or fears that make you hesitate?

Posted by:

Sheryl @ Flowery Prose

Sheryl Normandeau is a writer and gardening enthusiast living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in the foothills of the spectacular Rocky Mountains.

43 responses to “Hesitation.”

Cathy

July 30, 2014

Oh yes, I’m not very good at heights, nor underground enclosed spaces… completely irrational, and I try to pull myself together. But my brain just gets the “danger” message!
Maybe your pelican is just contemplating life before he jumps in? It’s a nice shot of him!

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  July 30, 2014
  
  You’re right, it’s so completely irrational to be afraid of some of these things, but it’s really difficult to convince yourself otherwise! It’s funny how our minds work…. No one else up on the bridge when I crossed seemed to be bothered in the slightest, I felt sort of silly being so scared.
  
  That pelican never did get into the water while we watched him – he must have had plenty to think about! 🙂
  
  Reply
  1. Cathy
    
    July 30, 2014
    
    🙂
    
    Reply
Alli Farkas

July 30, 2014

Looks like the bird was just waiting for exactly the right fish to appear. As for hesitation, one of the few things I hesitate about is whether or not to eat the next chunk of chocolate off the super-size bar…:-))

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  July 30, 2014
  
  LOL, that’s too funny! When it comes to chocolate, I really SHOULD hesitate!
  
  Reply
2. Born To Organize
  
  July 31, 2014
  
  I never hesitate. Sigh….
  
  Reply
  1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
    
    July 31, 2014
    
    I am reminded of that meme: “Chocolate comes from cocoa
    
    which comes out of a tree.
    
    That makes it a plant.
    
    Therefore, chocolate
    
    counts as salad.” 🙂
    
    Reply
    1. Born To Organize
      
      July 31, 2014
      
      Yes! My sentiments exactly. It’s not that I don’t love salad, mind you. I just don’t hold it near and dear to my heart like chocolate.
      
      Reply
      1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
        
        August 1, 2014
        
        So true!
        
        Reply
Gallivanta

July 30, 2014

A bridge like that would make me hesitate. I hate heights. And I would have hesitated about that water too. The pelican was wise to stay on shore. 🙂

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  July 31, 2014
  
  I’m not a fan of deep water, either – I like to be able to put my feet on solid ground, as I can’t swim! I’m with the pelican.
  
  Have a wonderful weekend!
  
  Reply
Sreejith Nair

July 30, 2014

Nice image and a very interesting caption “Hesitation” …

To answer your question, I don’t have any phobias I feel,

But, like the pelican, I’ll always hesitate to enter water 🙂

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  July 31, 2014
  
  It’s a wonderful thing not to have any phobias. I think it might be a good idea to hesitate before entering water…you never know how strong the current is! 🙂
  
  Have a great day!
  
  Reply
clarepooley33

July 30, 2014

I loved the pelican photo! Heights do it for me now, though when I was young it never bothered me at all. My family and I were in Austria a few years ago and went on a cable car up to a glacier. I managed to control myself until the car stopped for about five minutes, seemingly hundreds of feet up in the air, and all we could hear was the wind as the car swayed about. I’m afraid I completely lost it and both my daughters started crying too! Oh dear, my poor husband!

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  July 31, 2014
  
  Oh no – I can totally sympathize! I wouldn’t have enjoyed that at all! That’s absolutely terrifying!
  
  Reply
polianthus

July 30, 2014

wow amazing !!

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  July 31, 2014
  
  🙂
  
  Have an enjoyable weekend!
  
  Reply
Judy @ newenglandgardenandthread

July 30, 2014

Absolutely love the photo of the Pelican – great shot. I get a little challenged in a crowded elevator that seems to be crawling from floor to floor. I’m glad to move on out as soon as the door opens. 🙂

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  July 31, 2014
  
  That would be an uncomfortable situation, that’s for sure. I’m usually okay in elevators…as long as they don’t have glass floors! 😉
  
  Reply
gardeninacity

July 30, 2014

I’m with you and the pelican. I think I’d wait until I watched a very large person cross safely to the other side before I’d try it myself.

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  July 31, 2014
  
  Yes – I should have done so! Unfortunately, I had already committed to the crossing…the metal staircase to get up to the bridge was so freaky in and of itself I actually wasn’t sure I could turn around and walk back down. Crawl, maybe, crying all the way….
  
  Reply
thelonggardenpath

July 30, 2014

You should research the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge, in Northern Ireland. It is a rope bridge connecting an island to the mainland, for use by fishermen. Needless to say, neither if us could manage the first step!

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  August 1, 2014
  
  Oh my goodness, there would be no way I could cross that bridge – just looking at photographs of it is truly heart-stopping! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrick-a-Rede_Rope_Bridge Incredible scenery, though – and I can see why it’s such a tourist attraction.
  
  Reply
  1. thelonggardenpath
    
    August 1, 2014
    
    I’ve just followed your link and have learned there is now a new and safer bridge. We “faced” it in 1984, pre any of these developments!
    
    Reply
coastalcrone

July 30, 2014

I hesitate at heights and tight enclosures and run from snakes of any kind. Thanks for the great picture of the pelican! We have the brown ones here year around but the white pelicans come down in the fall and spend the winter with us. When it starts to get hot in the spring they gather in a group and head north.

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  August 1, 2014
  
  Yikes – snakes! I’m glad we don’t have many species here; we don’t see them unless we go further south or into the badlands. I wouldn’t be keen on having them in the garden!
  
  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a brown pelican, I wonder if we have them here. I will have to check. Are they smaller than the white ones, or about the same size?
  
  Reply
Donna@GardensEyeView

July 30, 2014

Oh heights especially a bridge as you described it or looking out over the edge of a bridge or building….

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  August 1, 2014
  
  Ugh…looking out over the edge of a building does it for me, too! So frightening!
  
  Reply
colorpencil2014

July 31, 2014

What an unusual bird that Pelican is, I love to see them fly. I t always looks to me as if they have strapped a grocery bag right under their chins.
And fear of heights….I am right there with you!

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  August 1, 2014
  
  I love your description of pelicans – you’re right, they do look like that! 🙂 Very interesting creatures. I’m always impressed with their large wingspans – it’s amazing when they land.
  
  Have a wonderful weekend!
  
  Reply
raisingdaisy

July 31, 2014

“Hesitate” is an understatement when it comes to my fear of heights. There’s NO WAY I could even white-knuckle my way across a bridge like that or ascend to a height that freaks me out. I tried a few of the more popular ways of overcoming it – they made it worse! So for me, I’m perfectly happy keeping both feet firmly on the ground!

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  August 1, 2014
  
  I’ve often wondered if I could try something to overcome my fear of heights…but I’m not sure I want to run the risk of it getting worse, it’s bad enough already! Yes, I’m with you – feet planted solidly on the ground! 🙂
  
  Reply
Born To Organize

July 31, 2014

I used to be deathly afraid of spiders. Over the years I’ve relaxed a lot, especially if they’re in the garden. I faced the fears and they got easier, but if a spider surprises me I’ll still jump.

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  August 1, 2014
  
  I’m with you on the spiders…but unlike you, I still haven’t figured out how to get over it. But I’m learning to appreciate many (beneficial) insects and spiders the more time I spend out in the garden, that’s for sure.
  
  Reply
  1. Born To Organize
    
    August 2, 2014
    
    A friend once told me to think of all spiders as female. I don’t know if that helps you in any way, but it did make me think about it being someone’s mother instead of someone out to get me. Spiders are vilified in horror movies, Halloween scenarios, even Harry Potter. Is it any wonder we’re creep out? Rationally, though, 99.9% of them are harmless to people.
    
    Reply
Mags Corner

July 31, 2014

Maybe he was thinking the water was a bit choppy. Love the picture. Oh, yes I fear heights and water above my waist. Hugs

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  August 1, 2014
  
  I’m not a fan of deep water, either! I like swimming where I can touch the bottom of the pool or river, that’s for sure.
  
  Have a sunshine-filled weekend! 🙂
  
  Reply
KerryCan

August 1, 2014

A bridge like the one you pictured gives me the willies, too! I remember going across one with friends on bikes–they all rode across and I had to get off and walk. A too active imagination!

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  August 1, 2014
  
  I would never be able to bike across a bridge like that – that’s even more frightening than walking! As you say, these types of fears definitely do have everything to do with imagination – but it’s hard for some of us to tamp that down and stay calm. Interesting, really – just not when it’s happening! 🙂
  
  Reply
bittster

August 2, 2014

Those white pelicans always seem so out of place up north! Cool picture, and congrats on making it across. I share your fear of crossing water on a bridge and those grated drawbridges were always the worst. Surprisingly enough as I get older it’s fading and the old panic doesn’t come anymore!

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  August 6, 2014
  
  Glad to hear you’re overcoming your fears! That makes me hopeful! 🙂
  
  Have a wonderful week!
  
  Reply
cookingwithauntjuju.com

August 4, 2014

I think the pelican is thinking “what fun I am going to have playing in the surf” 🙂

Reply
1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  August 6, 2014
  
  You might be right…maybe it’s not trepidation at all, but anticipation of enjoyment!
  
  Reply