This happened today. The gas company knocked on my door, said they had detected a leak in our gas line, and needed to replace it.
I instantly spun into a vortex of worries. Why was it leaking? Why didn’t I suspect anything was wrong? (Our neighbors called the gas company because they could smell gas in their house.) Was there a gas leak in my basement? How long would I have to keep my furnace turned off? What if the house got too cold and the pipes burst?
My vortex of worries was quite irrational. My other neighbor was very sensible and calmed me down. She told me on Facebook: “Don’t stress about it, put on layers & wrap in a blanket. You’ll be warm. It COULD be worse!!!” It was best thing she could have told me.
That damn worry vortex sucks me in every time.
Earlier this January, we were in the middle of a polar vortex and the high temperature was -15°F. I was worried. What if the pipes burst? (Seems to be a constant worry, doesn’t it?) What if the furnace stops working? What if the car won’t start?
As soon as we survived the first polar vortex, another worry quickly popped up. We had a warming trend. Icicles dripped off of our roof, and the news warned me of yet another danger. Ice dams. Ice dams can push water into the house, ruining ceilings and walls and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. How could I not worry about that?
Well, we didn’t get any water in the house, and by the time the next polar vortex came along, I wasn’t worried. We had survived the first time, after all.
But then I came down with a cold and had terrible congestion in my chest.
The first night I was sick, I couldn’t sleep and had to go sit on the couch for a while. As I struggled to breathe at 3am, I worried about pneumonia. What if I had it? What if I was admitted to the hospital? Who would feed the children, for God’s sake!
I didn’t have pneumonia.
My family used to call me a worrywart when I was growing up. I’ve tried to grow out of it, but the worry vortex still manages to suck me in.
About that gas leak? The gas company had it fixed in no time. My house never got colder than 68°. Not one water pipe froze.
What vortex have you been sucked into lately? Go visit Gretchen and our other fine vortex spinners this week! See the linky below, and if you wrote a vortex post of your own, link it up!
Trust me I do tons of worry all the time and I can pull myself into all sorts of vortexes if I tried. Funny thing is I was never this way when I was younger, but something about having kids makes you more conscious of all sweating all the little and big things. At least that is what I tell myself 🙂
Janine Huldie recently posted…A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to..Writing This Article
Yes, I think having kids makes it worse! I worry about them a lot. It makes me feel better, though, to know that I’m not the only worrier!
Ginny Marie recently posted…Worry Vortex {Spin Cycle}
I’ve always, ALWAYS been a worry wart. My husband always teases he doesn’t have to bother worrying about anything because I have it covered for the whole family. I try to be better, but it’s just in my nature. I do find that as I get older, it’s better, but I suspect it will always be there in some way. At least we know we are doing it, right? –Lisa
Ps. This is the first I’ve ever heard of ice dams! I’m off to Google…
The Dose of Reality recently posted…Pinterest Nightmare #238: Neuticles
Age has been helping me worry less…there’s a whole bunch of things that I don’t worry about now the way I used to, if you can believe that!
Ginny Marie recently posted…Worry Vortex {Spin Cycle}
Oh I hear you, sister, try living in the land of the earthquake! Honestly, the thing that keeps me from becoming a complete worrywart is that I’m horrified of becoming like my m-i-l Mommy. Mommy has such fear and worry that it completely cripples her and keeps her from functioning. It’s really sad, and a fate I want to avoid!
Gretchen recently posted…Spin Cycle: A Case For Facebook
Oh, I don’t think I could handle worrying about earthquakes! They scare me! Hopefully, though, I’ll never get as bad as Mommy. She’s pretty bad!
Ginny Marie recently posted…Worry Vortex {Spin Cycle}
I tend to be a shrug it off, it’ll all work out kind of person. Worry doesn’t change anything, so I try not to invest time in it. My worries come from planning–I drive my hubby nuts because I have to plan trips and activities out in my mind before hand. I often don’t share as much about these plans as I should and things get tense sometimes because I don’t roll with the changes as much as I should.
VandyJ recently posted…Friday, It’s Friday
I always think if I planned more I would worry less! However, there are some unexpected things that can’t be avoided even with planning, I suppose.
Ginny Marie recently posted…Worry Vortex {Spin Cycle}
Oh geez Ginny. I thought I was bad about worrying. I always have those “what if” questions swirling in my mind. I learned to keep it to myself because it drives my family crazy.
Kristina Walters @ Kris On Fitness recently posted…Vortex – My Spin
Usually I don’t share my worries out loud! Even I know that most of them are unrealistic and won’t really happen. That’s probably why I can usually laugh them off!
Ginny Marie recently posted…Worry Vortex {Spin Cycle}
That was scary and thankfully it was fixed. I come from a family of worrywart’s so it comes naturally to me!
Deborah Pucci recently posted…WHERE DID JANUARY GO?
I’m so glad the gas company fixed it so soon! Otherwise I would really be a wreck. 😉
Ginny Marie recently posted…Worry Vortex {Spin Cycle}
I used to spend hours in the night thinking my boys were going to be sick just because something was going around (it’s always going around!!). As they’ve gotten older I’ve gotten a bit better but that is always my biggest worry – silly since they really are veery healthy!!!
Kim recently posted…Welcome, Elise from 9toFit!!!
I’m pretty laid back. It’s my husband who worries. It drives me a little crazy sometimes. 🙂
Rabia @TheLiebers recently posted…#AskAwayFriday with Lisa from The Golden Spoons
I worry too. I’m glad your line was fixed quickly.
When my husband was deployed I worried that I’d die in my sleep and the kids would be left on their own. I wasn’t sure if they’d call 911 either. I pictured them grabbing all the candy in the house and jumping around my body while consuming it all.
Amber recently posted…Things I Won’t Be Doing On Superbowl Sunday
I had a sore throat yesterday..from yelling and screaming on the theme park rides! That was it. I’m not sick. I worried that I had strep and I wouldn’t be able to swallow antibiotics… or the strep would be untreated and go to my heart.
See? I’m insane.
I don’t even know what an ice dam is but I’m trying not to Google it.. Trying not to..
tamaralikecamera recently posted…Fly Away, Ask Away & Ladies Only Blog Share!
I think I’d worry about a gas leak too. Luckily it all worked out though. We were without hot water for a few days last week. Though it’s not as bad as losing heat, you realize how cold a lukewarm shower in the winter really is. I try to put things into perspective and think of things that could’ve happened that would be worse!
another jennifer recently posted…Philanthropy Friday (rewind): Celebrating 100 School Days with Kindness
Anxiety vortex, for sure. My husband has to talk me down. Thank goodness for outside perspectives 🙂
I’m on a no-sleep vortex right now. I only blog and catch up on my tv shows when the kids are asleep and I go on and on until 1 or 2 in the morning! The next day, I’m so tired that I drink coffee in the morning and another cup in the afternoon…but I’m so hopped up on caffeine, that I don’t sleep until 1 or 2 in the morning . It’s a vicious vortex!
Gracielle recently posted…{Through the Lens Thursday} Reflection
Glad everything is OK. I tend to worry more when my life is feeling a little out of control, but I imagine having kids amplifies that! Hope you have a great day!
Jenn @ So This is Love recently posted…Things I Want to Remember
Glad things turned out okay in the end!
I can worry a lot, too. That’s why I chose “trust” as my word of the year. I’m hoping it will help me worry less!
Angelina Costenaro recently posted…The Anti-Vortex