I know some people who are embarassed by almost anything. I don’t get embarassed very often. I think it is because the root of embarassment is caring what other people think about you. Self evaluation has always mattered to me more than societal evaluation. There are always exceptions of course. Today held a shining example of a truly embarassing moment. Howard and I had brokered a deal with the Young Men’s activity group in our ward that we’d make a donation to their budget if they would come and dig eight post holes in our front yard. Our baby grape plants need structure to support them. The teenage boys and their two adult leaders arrived on schedule. I remained in the front yard to help out and give directions. I’d already layed out the posts where I needed the holes. Gleek and Patches were “helping” as well, mostly by drinking up all the lemonade. That’s the backdrop to this alarming display performed by yours truly.
I stomped on a shovel with my right foot to drive it into the dirt. The shovel twisted under my foot throwing me off balance. I stepped to the side to regain my balance, but instead of the ground, my right foot encountered one of the posts. The post tipped under my foot and threw me further off balance. My weight had already shifted to the right foot, so in order to remain upright I had to twist and bring my left foot across, causing me to pivot. I was halfway through the pivot when I realized that Patches was right where I needed to step. By this time everyone else realized that I was in some kind of trouble and I had their full attention. I could not miss Patches. I tried, but center of balance was a long gone memory. I collided with Patches causing his begged for lemonade to spill all over him. I managed not to land on him by taking a couple of staggering steps and rolling. During this last maneuver my carefully bound hair came completely loose. I ended up flat on my back 15 feet away from where I’d had a little shovel bobble.
There was a very long moment where everyone in the yard wondered what on earth had happened and wondered if I was injured. I sat up, saw the stares, and did what any mortally embarassed person would do. I hid. In this case I hid by hyper focusing on Patches who was sitting on the lawn crying and dripping with the remains of his beloved lemonade. By paying attention to Patches I didn’t have to actually look at any of the folks who witnessed my bizarre acrobatics. Once Patches was settled with a fresh cup of lemonade I went into the house to regain my composure and to tame my wild hair.
I suppose I could have stayed in the house and made Howard go out to finish the supervision, but this was my project. I was the one who knew how things needed to be done. Besides the best way to erase and embarassing moment is to confront it directly in the presence of the witnesses. If I stayed in the house those teenage boys might have found humor in telling tales of what that wierd Mrs. Tayler did for no apparent reason. Instead I went out and made a story of it, describing it in much the same ways that I did above. At least this way if they tell the story, it will be my story and I can laugh with them about. But I don’t think they’ll bother to tell it now because instead of a bizarre event, it is now just one of those bobbles that happen to us all.
Anyway, I now have posts in the ground and once I get the cross pieces installed, my grapes will have a place to grow.
I’m a big clumsy dork, and do that sort of thing all too often. Especially with the kids around to help as you’ve described, who are eternally underfoot.
When I was in high school trying to play basketball, I used to fall all the time. I became very good at aiming my landing so that I didn’t hit anyone else, and at 275lbs, it is very good for my children that I picked up that skill.
When I fall like that, I usually jump right up and cheer and give myself a 10.0. Not because I’m not embarassed – quite the contrary. But I’ve found that being loud and making my embarassment as public and loud as possible means I stop caring a lot sooner.
But yeah, I love those.
I’m a big clumsy dork, and do that sort of thing all too often. Especially with the kids around to help as you’ve described, who are eternally underfoot.
When I was in high school trying to play basketball, I used to fall all the time. I became very good at aiming my landing so that I didn’t hit anyone else, and at 275lbs, it is very good for my children that I picked up that skill.
When I fall like that, I usually jump right up and cheer and give myself a 10.0. Not because I’m not embarassed – quite the contrary. But I’ve found that being loud and making my embarassment as public and loud as possible means I stop caring a lot sooner.
But yeah, I love those.
There’s something embarrassing about falling down, as an adult, even if there’s no one else to see. Last weekend, I was in the dog pen (100′ x 100′ enclosure with trees and rolling terraine. Just walking through, I snagged my foot on a fallen branch that, as I tried to lift my foot free, stayed on my foot, keeping it from moving forward with the rest of me. Body kept moving forward and down I went, onto hands and knees. That was it, I just landed a little hard on my hands, got up, away from the puppy slobber (yay, he’s our height) and went on. No one saw it, took 2 seconds but man I felt goofy.
Realized that I hadn’t fallen down in years and felt very foolish. Now, my daughter (5 years old) falls down a lot (still testing gravity and all) and I’m used to picking her up, dusting her off, etc., soothing her tears. I wonder now if some of those tears are from frustration and shame at just falling down. Being a people is weird.
There’s something embarrassing about falling down, as an adult, even if there’s no one else to see. Last weekend, I was in the dog pen (100′ x 100′ enclosure with trees and rolling terraine. Just walking through, I snagged my foot on a fallen branch that, as I tried to lift my foot free, stayed on my foot, keeping it from moving forward with the rest of me. Body kept moving forward and down I went, onto hands and knees. That was it, I just landed a little hard on my hands, got up, away from the puppy slobber (yay, he’s our height) and went on. No one saw it, took 2 seconds but man I felt goofy.
Realized that I hadn’t fallen down in years and felt very foolish. Now, my daughter (5 years old) falls down a lot (still testing gravity and all) and I’m used to picking her up, dusting her off, etc., soothing her tears. I wonder now if some of those tears are from frustration and shame at just falling down. Being a people is weird.
Congratulations on a fall well done!
i remember once in high school, as the odd girl out being overweight and not really sure of myself…. in gym class we went bowling. Now, i was a really good bowler.
However, the lane was not properly sanded and it was dry. I went to slide my foot the way you’re supposed to, and ended up falling flat on my face. i can laugh about it now, but at the time i was totally embarrased!
Thanks for sharing your story, and good luck with your grapes!
Congratulations on a fall well done!
i remember once in high school, as the odd girl out being overweight and not really sure of myself…. in gym class we went bowling. Now, i was a really good bowler.
However, the lane was not properly sanded and it was dry. I went to slide my foot the way you’re supposed to, and ended up falling flat on my face. i can laugh about it now, but at the time i was totally embarrased!
Thanks for sharing your story, and good luck with your grapes!
I typical don’t feel embarrassed when I fall down only a little dorky/spastic which to me is different. I think bystanders are more likely to be concerned if you okay when you fall than how funny you may have looked. At least it doesn’t sound as bad as my “Howard not on Sunday” for which I have learned to laugh at but will always be embarrassed for.
I typical don’t feel embarrassed when I fall down only a little dorky/spastic which to me is different. I think bystanders are more likely to be concerned if you okay when you fall than how funny you may have looked. At least it doesn’t sound as bad as my “Howard not on Sunday” for which I have learned to laugh at but will always be embarrassed for.
I think it is because the root of embarassment is caring what other people think about you.
I disagree with you. I think the root of embarassment for many people is the loss of self control.
I don’t get embarassed often but when I do it is because I have lost my control. I get embarassed for the characters in movies/tv shows because they’ve lost control and are making fools of themselves. And yeah, when I can convince myself they are doing it delibrately I tend to stop being embarassed for them.
I think it is because the root of embarassment is caring what other people think about you.
I disagree with you. I think the root of embarassment for many people is the loss of self control.
I don’t get embarassed often but when I do it is because I have lost my control. I get embarassed for the characters in movies/tv shows because they’ve lost control and are making fools of themselves. And yeah, when I can convince myself they are doing it delibrately I tend to stop being embarassed for them.
You are a very good writer, that was very entertaining and I must admit to a laugh when I realized that everything was all right! Thank goodness nobody was badly hurt, if I’d been involved, with my larger height and clumsyness, someone would have ended up broken. I have a finger in a splint from volleyball a few weeks ago.
Do you read? She is a good friend of mine, and this post reminds me of her wonderful way of telling amusing anecdotes.
You are a very good writer, that was very entertaining and I must admit to a laugh when I realized that everything was all right! Thank goodness nobody was badly hurt, if I’d been involved, with my larger height and clumsyness, someone would have ended up broken. I have a finger in a splint from volleyball a few weeks ago.
Do you read? She is a good friend of mine, and this post reminds me of her wonderful way of telling amusing anecdotes.
Gosh, I don’t see there’s anything to be embarrassed about! It was an accident and you or Patches could have been hurt; that was actually pretty nimble of you, not to fall on him! I’m honestly surprised that your friends stood and stared at you and didn’t rush to help you!
Gosh, I don’t see there’s anything to be embarrassed about! It was an accident and you or Patches could have been hurt; that was actually pretty nimble of you, not to fall on him! I’m honestly surprised that your friends stood and stared at you and didn’t rush to help you!
Some of the best stories come from rising above an embarrassing moment and finding the humor in it. Sometimes it even becomes a fun-to-tell tall tale!
Some of the best stories come from rising above an embarrassing moment and finding the humor in it. Sometimes it even becomes a fun-to-tell tall tale!