It was early in the morning and I decided to take a short walk before heading into work to clear my head. We need solitude from time to time to let our minds wander, so perhaps it was because I was missing my family, who was away for a few days, that during my walk a memory of rock climbing with my daughter came to mind.
She was probably five years old at the time. We had gone to an indoor rock climbing facility to “try” rock climbing. After a bit of training, we were sent off to explore the various walls; some easy, some challenging, others seemingly impossible. My daughter tried to climb a variety of walls but was frightened (who wouldn’t be) and therefore never got more than a few feet off the ground. After repeated attempts we decided to take a break, so we stopped, got a drink and talked. While I don’t recall what it was we talked about, I can recall the feeling of having a very “grown up” conversation with this very little person.
After our break, we decided to try again and headed back into the room with the forty-foot walls. With me once again holding the rope for safety, she tackled “her” wall one more time. She ascended about two feet up the wall, and then called for me to let her down. She tried again and got one “step” higher, then tried again. The third time I let her down she put her hands on her hips, took a deep breath, and started up again. My heart dropped as she got just one step higher and then called to be let down again. Then, to my amazement, she looked back at the wall with an expression on her face that was clear; she would not be defeated. For the next thirty minutes this ritual played out over and over again, every time one step higher. As I stood there holding the rope, my emotions rotated through pride, exuberance, and awe. As I held her rope, I noticed an experienced climbing couple take a break and settle in on the floor so they could give their full attention to the progress of this little person with the big heart.
Finally, after many attempts of slowly inching up that wall, my daughter accomplished her goal. Not just the goal of climbing up that wall, but of overcoming her fear and her self-doubt. What a grand moment for her. What a great lesson for me. What a marvelous example for us all.
As she rang the bell at the top of that wall, applause from a small crowd that had gathered quietly erupted. While in the moment, I was barely aware of the people around us, but I clearly recall the hug I shared with my daughter, her smile, her exhaustion, and how proud I was to be her father. What a great day! What a great walk! I think I may go around the block one more time.
She was probably five years old at the time. We had gone to an indoor rock climbing facility to “try” rock climbing. After a bit of training, we were sent off to explore the various walls; some easy, some challenging, others seemingly impossible. My daughter tried to climb a variety of walls but was frightened (who wouldn’t be) and therefore never got more than a few feet off the ground. After repeated attempts we decided to take a break, so we stopped, got a drink and talked. While I don’t recall what it was we talked about, I can recall the feeling of having a very “grown up” conversation with this very little person.
After our break, we decided to try again and headed back into the room with the forty-foot walls. With me once again holding the rope for safety, she tackled “her” wall one more time. She ascended about two feet up the wall, and then called for me to let her down. She tried again and got one “step” higher, then tried again. The third time I let her down she put her hands on her hips, took a deep breath, and started up again. My heart dropped as she got just one step higher and then called to be let down again. Then, to my amazement, she looked back at the wall with an expression on her face that was clear; she would not be defeated. For the next thirty minutes this ritual played out over and over again, every time one step higher. As I stood there holding the rope, my emotions rotated through pride, exuberance, and awe. As I held her rope, I noticed an experienced climbing couple take a break and settle in on the floor so they could give their full attention to the progress of this little person with the big heart.
Finally, after many attempts of slowly inching up that wall, my daughter accomplished her goal. Not just the goal of climbing up that wall, but of overcoming her fear and her self-doubt. What a grand moment for her. What a great lesson for me. What a marvelous example for us all.
As she rang the bell at the top of that wall, applause from a small crowd that had gathered quietly erupted. While in the moment, I was barely aware of the people around us, but I clearly recall the hug I shared with my daughter, her smile, her exhaustion, and how proud I was to be her father. What a great day! What a great walk! I think I may go around the block one more time.
Thank you again, I look so forward to this every month. I was just on facebook and say your note that this month was ready to read and I stop right then and came here. It gives me a lift up everytime. it seems everytime I'm have a down time in my life, this brings me back up again Love you - Suzanne
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