Dread
Dread is a feeling that is normally felt in the lower left side of the gut. It is a medical result of the desire not to do something, or face something. The most common prescription is a 12-pack of beer or a short walk off a long plank. Side effects include alcoholism and other forms of slow or quick death. Treatment is most successful when the dread is dealt with head on, and then future situations are avoided successfully.
I first met work-dread when I was a young lifeguard and swimming instructor. I was absolutely terrified of parents or supervisors criticising my swim lessons that I gave to the youngsters. I was also dreading getting in the water for 5 hours straight, constantly get in and out of the water and generally freezing in the cool air. I eventually conquered the dread, by becoming very comfortable giving lessons, and modifying my schedule as much as possible to avoid five hours of teaching in the water. I also took more and more lessons with the 4-year olds, the perfect age, the age of pure joy. I would resuscitate the four year old in me, and glory in the return to toddler simplicity. And then, the dread was dead.
I next acquired the dread syndrome when attending the Infantry School in Gagetown, N.B. This was a very particular type of dread. This was an "end of weekend" dread, that took over on Sunday afternoons, as we prepared to go out into the field for days on end with little sleep, little warmth and very much physical exertion. Of course, the dread feeling was compensated by a huge TGIF feeling when completing field exercices and going to Jungle Jim's for beer and nachos and falling asleep in the booth. Then we finished our course, and the dread was dead.
Now the dread is back. I know it's temporary. It's the dread before going into the field and working for 50 hours straight. It's the dread of not feeling entirely prepared for the responsibility that I have taken on, or accepted. (Not very different from the dread I had as a 16-year old who didn't prepare lesson plans for swimming lessons). The dread will subside, as I attack the source. The dread motivates me to defeat it and I'm sure that before long, the dread will be dead.
I first met work-dread when I was a young lifeguard and swimming instructor. I was absolutely terrified of parents or supervisors criticising my swim lessons that I gave to the youngsters. I was also dreading getting in the water for 5 hours straight, constantly get in and out of the water and generally freezing in the cool air. I eventually conquered the dread, by becoming very comfortable giving lessons, and modifying my schedule as much as possible to avoid five hours of teaching in the water. I also took more and more lessons with the 4-year olds, the perfect age, the age of pure joy. I would resuscitate the four year old in me, and glory in the return to toddler simplicity. And then, the dread was dead.
I next acquired the dread syndrome when attending the Infantry School in Gagetown, N.B. This was a very particular type of dread. This was an "end of weekend" dread, that took over on Sunday afternoons, as we prepared to go out into the field for days on end with little sleep, little warmth and very much physical exertion. Of course, the dread feeling was compensated by a huge TGIF feeling when completing field exercices and going to Jungle Jim's for beer and nachos and falling asleep in the booth. Then we finished our course, and the dread was dead.
Now the dread is back. I know it's temporary. It's the dread before going into the field and working for 50 hours straight. It's the dread of not feeling entirely prepared for the responsibility that I have taken on, or accepted. (Not very different from the dread I had as a 16-year old who didn't prepare lesson plans for swimming lessons). The dread will subside, as I attack the source. The dread motivates me to defeat it and I'm sure that before long, the dread will be dead.
posted by Lt Smash at 5:38 PM
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