I have never smoked. Not even one single puff. I never wanted to. I grew up with a heavy smoker; my mum has always smoked and although there have been a few futile attempts to give up, she never will even though she has been told that she has the lungs of an eighty year old (she is in her 60’s). I don’t ever remember making a conscious decision not to, I have just never seen the point. It smells, it stains, it kills and for those people who delude themselves that it looks cool, I don’t think anything could be further from the truth.
I have never eaten snails. In the constant battle to widen my children’s food tastes, I am always telling them that they should try new things, yet I’m not very adventurous. I’m a French teacher, I love France and all things French but some aspects of their cuisine leaves me cold; snails being one of them. Yes, yes people say that they taste lovely with a garlic sauce, well do you know what I would happily have the garlic sauce with some other thing that hasn’t been slithering through the garden thank you very much. It’s a ‘non’ from me!
I have never done anything daring. Yes, I’ve done my share if roller coasters and things like that but really daring things have never registered on my radar. Fair play to those people who do parachute jumps, bungee jumps and sky diving. I think they are amazing but does it make me want to do anything like that? Not even one little tiny bit. I like my feet to be firmly on the ground thank you very much. Someone once said to me that I would do it for charity wouldn’t I? No, I would happily run, well maybe walk, climb, do something really silly but jump out of plane? Not on your nelly! I have given birth to four children and that is daring enough for me.
I have never given birth naturally. Four c-sections for me I’m afraid. Not through choice. Why people choose I have no idea? Why would you choose to have a major operation which leaves you unable to move easily for days, to drive for weeks and a great big scar? I have no idea. I’m not belittling natural child birth as I have heard more horror stories than I really needed to (most of which when I was heavily pregnant – why do people do that?) and I know that it is most definitely not like shelling peas for everyone, but I would have liked to have tried, just to see what it was like. Sadly, my first was breech and as I was two weeks overdue when they realised, it was too late and he was too big for them to take the risk with a natural delivery. Baby two could have been a natural delivery except he was already a stubborn little mule and refused to come out and with the rest it would have been a good idea to fit a zip to make the process easier. One mother once asked me if I felt I had missed out on the wonderful process of natural labour, but I told her that I had four wonderful children and that was fine by me, however they arrived.
What have you never done?
I’ve almost never smoked. It was my dad who was the heavy smoker, and all my elder siblings smoked at one time or another, the smell made me feel sick and I was never inclined. But one night out with a best friend (smoker) I got a bit too drunk and she’d been on at me to try so I took a puff. It tasted hot and disgusting and I could have quite happily have never had the experience! I was 23 and felt like I ought to try! On the other hand I have never taken any recreational drugs, passing on joints as a student (too unaware to even realise what it was!) and seeming to thoroughly miss on the thriving drug scene around the corner of where I lived in Oxford in my early 20’s! I’m not bothered about that either 🙂
I have never ridden a motorbike…not even as a passenger. I love driving and I love fast cars but the thought of being on a motorbike and only having a bit of leather and a helmet to protect me, scares the life out of me!
Great post. I have smoked but I gave up when I was pregnant. I have never had a natural birth either 2 c/s for me, I have never eaten snails the thought makes me feel sick.
I chose my second Caesarean and in hindsight it was a mistake, I should have been braver but I was so scared about the same things as the first time happening that I just couldn’t. When it comes to number three I’m going to let things happen naturally and just hope another CS doesn’t happen. That being said at least I know having a CS isn’t the worst experience in the world and there’s still a lovely baby in the end 🙂
So many things! Like you, I have never had so much as a puff of a cigarette. I have never drunk alcohol and I’ve never done anything daring either. And, do you know what? I’m quite happy with that and my mundane little life!
Ewww I don’t think I could ever eat snails. I’ve never eaten mussels either. Or oysters. I just can’t put anything that slimy in my mouth.
Great post. And I would beg to differ: to go through childbirth a second time, never mid third and fourth? That is daring 🙂
I have smoked and too much but am counting 10 years since giving up and am very proud. I have ridden double on a paraglider and a hang-glider too but you won’t catch me bungee jumping. I have tried snails as a child but you wouldn’t catch me trying them now and I have a c section scar and like you couldn’t care less, so long as they arrived safely here then that’s fine by me (wasn’t by choice either )
I had 4 C-sections for medical reasons too and I often wonder why anybody would choose to have them. I used to feel so envious of the other Mums who were up and out of their beds within hours of giving birth. Great post x
I smoked for ten years! I also had my first c-section with my third baby after two natural births (He was compromised by his cord) and I too have difficulty understanding that decision if there is no risk.
Lovely post, very thoughtful and thought provoking!