Fields Trip

Rock climbing is a great metaphor.
For lots of things.

Yep, that’s me.
Yep, I didn’t think I could do it, either.
But …

Nothing beats a great pair of shoes.

A reliable support system is crucial.

Details matter.  

You gotta start somewhere.

 But don’t forget to enjoy the view once in awhile.

By surrounding yourself with the right people, you can do anything.
(And by “you” I mean “me.”)

Rock climbing isn’t the hardest or scariest thing I’ve done. But moments of it felt that way. As I climbed the rock, I trembled. I swore. I forgot to breathe. I shrieked out of fear and frustration. I thought about the hardest days of my marriage. The darkest days of the Big D. The pain and exhaustion during my daughter’s birth. Of leaving NEPA. Of staying in Nebraska. Of removing the toxic. Of letting the valuable remain. Of taking a risk and actually succeeding. Of taking a risk and utterly failing, only to be left with a little wisdom I didn’t have before. Of embracing what’s next. These are all good things. 

***

Thanks to the delightful and sneaky Boulder-y yet Longmont-based
Jenn Fields and Jeremy Fields
for their friendship, support and inspiration
for my many adventures this year
as I complete The List.
I love you guys!

p.s. Can I go again?

Boulder Canyon, Happy Hour crag. Taken June 9, 2010.