Will you take the Leap?
Posted in Brett's Posts 0 comments
I decided to post something I had written a few years ago. Enjoy.
Recently I was thinking about the place I used to work, The Edge, a challenge course with high ropes, climbing tower and most challenging at times, the Leap of Faith. You have a rope attached to your back, climb to the top of this pole, about 25 feet high, 1 foot in diameter, stand up on top of it and face a trapeze that's 8 feet away. Once you've done all that, you're still standing there with the pole rocking, not from the wind, but from your own body shaking. Then the choice is left to you, will you jump out to the trapeze?
This led me to think about other "risks" that I have taken. Most infamous, especially to my mother, is the time I hitchhiked. I had a couple days off at Windermere and wished to go home. So I got a friend to drive me to Eldon and I started walking toward Jefferson City, about 27miles away. After trying the thumb, which didn't work, I just continued to walk. Within an hour, a guy named Gary in a yellow delivery truck, pulled up behind me and offered me a ride. I accepted and we talked until he dropped me off in JeffCity. At this point, I walk the 9blocks to my mom's work and smiled as I rode the elevator up and smiled even more when my mom figures out that I hitchhiked and proceeds to call my dad and tell him what his son had done.
Now those that have not heard this story will wonder how much of a risk taker is Brett? I would have to say that I do not feel like much of one. The first example of the Leap of Faith, while it stills shakes me up a little each time I do it, does not enter my mind as too much of a risk. I know I am safe because of experience and knowledge that the equipment is good. The hitchhiking episode, while at first glance would appear risky, was actually very planned out on my part:
1) I chose a time early in the morning so that I could most likely walk the distance by the time my mom got off work.
2)I had a cell phone with me to call just in case I was not able to.
3)I brought water with me so as to not get dehydrated.
4)I would have enough common sense to refuse a ride with someone I did not feel safe with.
5)There are no large towns between Eldon and Jeff, so I reasoned that if anyone was to give me a ride, it would be all the way.
So I had really thought out and measured the "risk" I would be taking ahead of time. This is how I am with a lot of things. The "risks" that I appear to take are usually not that big to me because I have experience in it or have measured it out. For instance the rooftop expeditions I have taken with some friends, are not scary because of experience in climbing. The reasoning behind all this talk is that I wonder about the risks that are before me now and because of no experience to fall back on and the inability to to fully measure it out. I am left unsure as I stand on top of the pole as it shakes, wondering, will I take the leap?
Recently I was thinking about the place I used to work, The Edge, a challenge course with high ropes, climbing tower and most challenging at times, the Leap of Faith. You have a rope attached to your back, climb to the top of this pole, about 25 feet high, 1 foot in diameter, stand up on top of it and face a trapeze that's 8 feet away. Once you've done all that, you're still standing there with the pole rocking, not from the wind, but from your own body shaking. Then the choice is left to you, will you jump out to the trapeze?This led me to think about other "risks" that I have taken. Most infamous, especially to my mother, is the time I hitchhiked. I had a couple days off at Windermere and wished to go home. So I got a friend to drive me to Eldon and I started walking toward Jefferson City, about 27miles away. After trying the thumb, which didn't work, I just continued to walk. Within an hour, a guy named Gary in a yellow delivery truck, pulled up behind me and offered me a ride. I accepted and we talked until he dropped me off in JeffCity. At this point, I walk the 9blocks to my mom's work and smiled as I rode the elevator up and smiled even more when my mom figures out that I hitchhiked and proceeds to call my dad and tell him what his son had done.
Now those that have not heard this story will wonder how much of a risk taker is Brett? I would have to say that I do not feel like much of one. The first example of the Leap of Faith, while it stills shakes me up a little each time I do it, does not enter my mind as too much of a risk. I know I am safe because of experience and knowledge that the equipment is good. The hitchhiking episode, while at first glance would appear risky, was actually very planned out on my part:
1) I chose a time early in the morning so that I could most likely walk the distance by the time my mom got off work.
2)I had a cell phone with me to call just in case I was not able to.
3)I brought water with me so as to not get dehydrated.
4)I would have enough common sense to refuse a ride with someone I did not feel safe with.
5)There are no large towns between Eldon and Jeff, so I reasoned that if anyone was to give me a ride, it would be all the way.
So I had really thought out and measured the "risk" I would be taking ahead of time. This is how I am with a lot of things. The "risks" that I appear to take are usually not that big to me because I have experience in it or have measured it out. For instance the rooftop expeditions I have taken with some friends, are not scary because of experience in climbing. The reasoning behind all this talk is that I wonder about the risks that are before me now and because of no experience to fall back on and the inability to to fully measure it out. I am left unsure as I stand on top of the pole as it shakes, wondering, will I take the leap?
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