Stepping out of a comfort zone

I don't know about the rest of you but I hate being out of my comfort zone.  I like what I know and I like to feel safe.  I don't like heights, I hate having my head underwater, I don't like the feeling of speed, I don't like not speaking a language if I'm travelling etc. etc. so I have no idea how I managed all those years ago to fall in love with someone whose favourite form of transport was a motorbike, who discovered windsurfing as a passion, who would head down the nearest black piste on skis even if it had been years since he'd hit the slopes, who learnt how to water ski on holiday in the Caribbean then went from Comino over to Gozo six years later without having practiced in between times, who would order something he couldn't translate from a French menu just to see what it was ..... the list is endless.  As you can see in many ways we were completely incompatible but for some reason it worked and the best part about it all was that, when it came to Jake, we balanced each other out.  I would be the cautious one, making sure he didn't stand too close to the harbour's edge, letting him play out on the field in front of the house but only if I could see him, making sure he wore a helmet when out on his bike/on skis and generally seeing to it that he was a safe as possible.  Ash was the one who encouraged him to rock climb without ropes (although, luckily, nowhere too high), he took him wild camping sometimes arriving at dusk so they weren't quite sure where they were pitching the tent, he taught him to cook over a camp fire, he took him on 5 mile hikes through the countryside, he taught him to surf and sail and so many other things that gave him courage and determination.  All of that encouragement from Ash early in his life means that Jake now pushes himself out of his comfort zone quite deliberately and this led him, just before Christmas, to enter the Great North Swim.  For some reason totally beyond my comprehension he wanted to do this to test himself but, while mulling it over, he realised that at the same time he could raise money for a cause close to his heart.  If you have been following this blog for any length of time you will know how much Contented Dementia Trust has helped and supported us.  Without that support Jake and I would still be floundering under the weight of Ash's dementia and I really think that life would be impossible for all of us.  And they haven't done this just for us.  Many, many people have been helped by Penny Garner and her team either through the book, the training courses, the personal support, the booklets which we give to friends, the practical help and many other ways all of which make such a difference to so many families and they need our help.   This charity is small so any donations make a huge difference to the work they do and the number of families they can help.  None of the money Jake raises by swimming 10K in Lake Windermere (approximately 3.5 hours of swimming in very cold water) on 9th June will be swallowed up and spread far and wide.  Every penny will be noted and appreciated.  If you would like to support Jake who is training harder for this than anything else I've ever seen him do then go to his fundraising page to donate whatever you can afford.  And when you donate you will also know that he is able to do this amazing thing because of all those skills Ash taught him long before we imagined dementia could enter our lives.  To find out more and/or to donate go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jake-robinson3?utm_campaign=pfp-share&utm_content=Jake-Robinson3&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_source=Facebook&utm_term=N7RDra7dv&fbclid=IwAR1KaYw7C_1f0waxNwsQEI5dpf4PFIt1Sw6WwOLeamlaK1CDnCCU7enL6bM


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Comments

Lesley said…
Fantastic to hear Jake's training is going well - he certainly loves a challenge!!
Sarah H said…
A really good cause and a really nice chap doing this - please donate if you can . . .
Ann said…
Donated....good luck Jake! 🏊‍♂️
Jane said…
Thank you so much both for the donations and the support. To date Jake's raised £1308.17 on line and another £75.00 in cheques. As his original target was £250.00 (which he raised in the first 6 hours) we're over the moon as I'm sure you've guessed.