Did you guys know that almost every fear has a name? I recently found out that my fear of swings is called Pendula Phobia. My Grandpa and Dad built us this amazing swing set with giant power line looking poles when I was a kid. It was the greatest. I used it for hours and hours. I went wild, did flips, jumped from the swing to the trampoline, pushed my siblings and ran under their feet when they were swinging high enough… It is a core memory. (We recently deemed it unfit for continued use because the wood is rotting… but that was a huge part of my childhood.)
When I was little I would tie up the two side swings and only swing in the middle swing. It gave me all the room. It didn’t matter if I was swinging crooked. I wouldn’t hit anyone else and I wouldn’t hit the pole. Now, most smaller swings at playgrounds don’t bother me. They are shorter and their chains are sturdier and they don’t swing crooked very often. But a really long chain or rope for a swing… thinking about it and writing about it literally gives me goosebumps. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing up as I type and I feel like I have the chills.
Those giant swing rides at amusement parks are not something I could do anymore. As a kid I could, but the older I get the more terrifying they seem. I am ok with things hanging up like… for decoration. Or a porch swing if it’s sturdy and the rope isn’t super long… and as long as I don’t put my feet under it to potentially get crushed if it were to detach from the porch roof.
What are some of your less rational fears?
Redheaded Jill 
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