Orly's Blog: The Rock Wall

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"You were a completely different person a year ago."

That's what my friend Max told me last night.

That's because, until recently, I've defined myself as a person with a fear of heights.

I don't do high things.
If its high, I don't do it.

Max is a rock climber.
When he's in town (rarely), it comes with an invite to the local climbing gym.
This is our second climb together.

The first was after a retreat where we spent several long nights discussing self-love.

I decided to face my fears and take on the high wall.

"Facing your fears is an act of love," I repeated to myself.
Over and over again as my sweaty palms gripped the plastic rocks.

The first attempt - 15 feet.
The second - 20.
Finally, mantra in mind, I got to the section of the wall that slants outward.

30 feet, but I was done.
The remaining 20 feet looked out of reach.
"Take me down!"

I drove home feeling accomplished, alive, but disappointed.

Last night, Max came back.
We did the short walls for a while.
I keep glancing at the big walls.
Kids are climbing them. No problem.
The rope makes it safe.

I lay on the mat.
He said, "Want to grab dinner?"
I thought, "Yes."
The words that came out my mouth, "I need to climb the big wall." "

Love it," said Max.
I’m shaking as I strap into the harness.

“They didn’t even ask if I was rope certified,” said Max.
“You are certified, right?” I laugh.

As I mount the wall, a new mantra emerges.

"I'm safe. This is doable. This is easy."

One hand at a time.
10 feet. 20 feet.
I reach the lip that slants outward, then I’m past it.
Then I'm at the top.

"Take me down!" I call.
"Let go of the wall," says Max, and I feel the rope tighten to hold my weight.
I do, and he lowers me to the ground.

He offers a high five.
I give him a huge hug. "

You've got no idea what that means to me."
"You made it look easy."
"It actually was pretty easy… Let me do it again."

“Want to try a harder path?”
“Sure.”

Before I knew it, I’m at the top again.
This time, I see a secret message hidden up there.

Max lowers me down again.

The rope, and the person holding it, made it safe.
But I still had to climb up the wall.

Max jokingly asked what changed between this time and last.
He knew about how my home burned down in January, and had been reading this blog to know what I’ve been dealing with.

"I guess you're a person that can do hard things."
I've had to be.

I share this story for two reasons:

One - it's a big personal victory for me.

Two - life might feel like a rock wall right now. It does for me.

Even though you need to climb the wall with your own hands, you mustn't forget that the people and community you surround yourself with are your ropes.

You can lean on them while you climb.

You must also remember that you are the rope for the others in your life. If you have the ability to reach out and give them a little tug to let them know you’re there, it could go a long way in supporting their climb.

— If you have a meaningful story where someone supported you, or you supported someone else, please let me know in a reply, I’d love to hear it.

And now a word from today’s sponsor. Checking them out helps support the blog.

Thanks for reading!

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