I Will Not Let Fear Rule my Life

Those were the words that Kendall kept repeating to herself as we walked through the mall to the earring store. She has wanted to get her ears pierced for several weeks but could not muster up the courage until right at that moment. She had quizzed every one of her friends on what to expect and even asked her teacher how bad it really hurt. We went into the store and even watched a teen-ager get her's pierced. When her time came she panicked and wouldn't get in the chair. I told the woman we needed a minute. We went and sat at a table and chairs right outside the store. I said, "Kendall, I won't make you get your ears pierced, but if you don't do this you are going to regret it." She was shaking like a leaf (it broke my heart!) but she kept telling herself positive things about having pierced ears. It was so precious. Finally she stood up and announced she was ready to do it. We went back in the store and she got in the chair. As the loaded up the earrings into the earring guns she looked at me and said, "I've changed my mind. I can't do this." and she started to cry. Well I could have melted into the floor right there on the spot. Instead I said, "No, we've come this far. You're ready to go. We're doing it." She was crying hard by now but I told the ladies to go ahead anyway. As soon as they pierced her ears, she took one look in the mirror and immediately stopped crying. "Ohhh, I love it!" Of course, I am a wreck by now and tears start running down my face! I'm sure the ladies at Claires thought we were nuts. This story has a happy ending though because she did it and she couldn't' be happier! It's all she talks about. In fact to drill home the point that we were a couple of crazies, Kendall stood up in the store right after she was done and said (loudly) "From now until the rest of my life, Kendall Hall has pierced ears!". I'm sure we will be the talk of the store for the next couple of days.