Flat Pat, Please don’t remind me.

We’re all mortal and we know it. Yet, we keep this fact packed away in the deepest corner of our mind’s attic and try to forget. We all know we’re going to die some day but actually, we’d rather not.

Yesterday we made our way over the Pyrenees to France; majestic peaks, cascading waterfalls, deep valleys and all that. At one point, we just about drove through a rainbow.

Yet, I am never at ease in the mountains. Growing up on the prairie, I prefer flat, open spaces. The vast gravity of the mountains draw out my most primal fears. Jagged cliffs appall me. Boulders bully me. There’s just so much that can go wrong in the mountains and they all lead to a horrible death.

As we round each hairpin curve. I’m sick with anticipation that the brakes will fail. We’ll careen wildly out of control, crash through the guard rail and plummet to the valley below. Strolling along a merrily raging river, I repeatedly look back for the wall of water from the dam break or a sudden flash flood that will sweep me downriver to smash on the rocks.Each time I see the sign for “falling stones” I brace each nerve for the boulder that will come crashing through the roof and crush us to jelly. Snow-capped peaks remind me of avalanches and I cower. Driving through tunnels, I listen for the first rumble as it collapses and buries me under a million tons of stone. I reach out my hand to Joost.

Other than that, it was lovely up there.

Once we got back onto level ground I relaxed and my nose stopped bleeding. My spirits lifted as the earth receded. The French Pyrenees are much gentler than the Spanish. Grassy meadows blanket softly rolling hills. A sign said we were on the “Route du Lait” (route of milk) and dark brown cattle grazed contentedly in the fields. This was better. My life stopped flashing before my eyes and I felt safe again. I wanted to stay. The worst that could happen here is to slip on a pat of butter. I may get a bruise but that’s a calamity I can survive. I know I’m mortal and am going to die some day but actually, I’d rather not.