I’ve always feared heights, ever since I could remember. There was something about being up high that instilled a deep fear and gave me a nauseating physical feeling. At many times in my childhood I had been exposed to heights, flying in airplanes, sitting on roller coasters, standing on top of skyscrapers, and hiking up mountains but I had never been able to really shake my phobia. And once again, holding on for dear life being stuck to the face of a rock, that sensation was heightened more than ever.
I had returned from my exciting venture in Costa Rica. Even though I had a great time, I was glad to be back in the United States. It was an adjustment at first, but I soon got into the groove of life, living with my wonderful grandmother and working at a local Ace Hardware. Overall, I was just relaxing and enjoying summer. Around this time one of my friends Nate, whom I had known since 6th grade, contacted me and asked if I and another member of our graduating class, Abigail, wanted to meet him near a summer camp and go hiking and rock climbing. I wanted to go because it had been a painfully long time since I had seen any of my friends from high school. All of us living in different parts of the United States made it very difficult for us to see each other.
We eventually decided that we would meet up in August a few hours away from Pittsburgh in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, at a place called Stone Mountain Adventures. Now I was terribly nervous prior to driving to Huntingdon. As I had not grown up in the United States, driving was a struggle for me, a big adjustment that I had to get used to. I was deathly afraid of getting lost or getting into an accident. Anxiety had always been a struggle in my life, but I was determined not to let it ruin my trip or stop me from having fun with my friends.
I began the drive extremely nervous, my hands were sweating, and my heart was pounding like a drum. As I began to pull out of my neighborhood, I understood that this was something I was more than capable of doing, and that everything was going to be alright. I blasted some music to ease my mind. I used the music to let the stress flow out of my mind, down my shoulders, and out of my body.
The longer I was speeding down the highway, the more a sense of pride and freedom seeped into my mind. I was on my own, just me, and I was embarking on an adventure! For over a year now I had wished for an opportunity to share an experience with my close friends again, and I was going to take full advantage of that. I proceeded through downtown Pittsburgh and admired the stunning view of the beautiful architecture as I passed by.
The rest of the drive was a slideshow of beauty as I progressed through rich and lush forests. I forged through elegant hills and magnificent mountainsides. The stunning landscapes flashed back memories of my childhood and reminded me of the place where I grew up. On route to see my friends with the beautiful nature surrounding me made me feel as though I had gone back in time. The excitement began to build as I knew I was going to experience those memories once again.
I was taken away by the glistening, grassy, countryside that seemed to go on forever as I cruised down the highway. As I began to get closer, I turned off the highway and began travelling down sideroads. I drove through the pleasant town of Huntingdon, which had a lot of intriguing historic buildings. When I turned off the road, I suddenly found myself driving on a gravel road with the rocks spitting out from under the car. Now it really felt like I was back where I grew up with beautiful scenery and nasty roads. I carefully continued down this sketchy road until I saw a cluster of old, wooden, cabin-like buildings come into view.
I pulled into a gravel parking space on the side of the road and limped out of my car. After the two-hour drive, my body was ready to stretch out and I felt my joints pop as the pressure released from my body. I did not see Nate or Abigail anywhere, there was a fresh forest scent in the warm air, and I felt oddly at ease as I made my way to the main cabin. I walked up to a door that says “Administration.” I opened the door and peeked inside but saw nobody.
Then behind me I heard a voice ask, “Hey do you need any help?” I looked behind me and there was a guy probably around the same age as me. I ask if he knows Nate, he says he does and calls him, then he explains “Nate and Abigail are at the rock-climbing wall down the road, just follow this road, down the curve, and you will see it on the left”. “Okay, thank you I appreciate it” I replied as I headed back to my car.
Nate and Abigail were covered in their rock-climbing gear as I pulled into the parking spot alongside the road. “How are you guys doing?” I excitedly asked, “It’s great to see you guys!” “Were doing good. How are you?” Abigail replied. We then went to chat about our lives, what schools we were going to and what we are studying. Abigail reminded me that she is studying to be a social worker, and Nate wants to be a forest firefighter. This was such an emotionally refreshing moment for me as I felt the sensation of a dark room in me was lit up again, and old memories began flooding back into my mind.
“Are you ready to start rock climbing” Nate suddenly asks. Although I was scared out of my mind, I immediately replied, “Yes, let’s do it”. Then Nate went through the safety procedures and helped us get harnessed up and ready to climb. “Okay, I’m ready,” I exclaimed as I walked up to the rock face. I looked up to the top of the sheer cliff which was about 100 feet high. I felt nervous but also excited about the challenge.
I got about three feet up before I felt like quitting. It felt like I was a thousand feet in the air, about to plummet to my death. The cold, slimy, uninviting surface was mocking me as I held on. Even though I was freaking out I paused and said to myself, “Remember all those times you missed out on things because you were scared, and all the times you failed by not even trying?” I was determined that I was not going to let this beat me. Climbing up that intimidating cliff was not about conquering others; it was about conquering myself. Inch by inch I slowly crept up that wall like an Australian sloth, with Nate and Abigail continuously cheering “You can do it! Keep going!”
As I was climbing, I thought, “This rock felt like a test to see what I am made of. This rock wants to know if I am going to push through fear, the pain, and the exhaustion, or if I am just going to call it quits.” I felt the aching in my fingers and the sweat dripping down my face as I continued to push and push until I finally reached the top. I stayed at the top for a few minutes to gather my breath, shocked in disbelief that I made it all the way up. A sense of accomplishment surged through my mind as I started wondering how I would get back down.
Suddenly Nate said, “Alright now lean back!” “What!” I yelled at him. He responded, “Lean back and you will rappel down.” I looked down over the edge thinking “These are going to be my final moments!” I eventually willed myself to lean back, and I very slowly rappelled down, discovering it was actually a lot of fun! Abigail gave me a high five and then proceeded to climb up the rock like Spider-Man. It was an incredible experience. I learned that I am much more capable than I thought I was, and I should never run away from a challenge.
