Such Great Heights

I'm terrified of heights. Roller coasters, bridges, bleachers....forget it. I didn't even know I was so scared until Michael and I climbed a fire tower once while hiking and I froze midway and had to be talked down.

So, needless to say, I was not entirely thrilled when I learned my office would be participating in a team building excursion, complete with a high ropes course. *Gulp*

The day started off well with various ice breakers, but in the back of my mind I knew the high ropes were coming.

We made our way over to the course and looming in front of us was a 30 foot rock wall. We put on our harnesses and gathered around the base of the wall. My boss went first. He had been adamant that he would not be able to reach a certain mark on the wall. He passed right by it and made it more than half way. That was really inspiring.

Then another co-worker took her turn, shimming up the wall like she was a monkey. Yeah, right. There is no way I could do that.

And then it was my turn. I didn't want to go. NOT AT ALL. But my co-workers were really encouraging and I figured if I could just get a couple feet up it was an accomplishment.

Well, I got more than a couple feet. With directions and encouragement from my co-workers on the ground I pushed through my shaking (like a leaf in the wind...making it really hard to hold on!) and navigated the wall almost to the very top.

My rope had been caught on one of the rocks so as I made my descent my body was hurled around the wall to the back, smashing my left arm against the wall. Then I made it down the rest of the way correctly.

With tears in my eyes my feet touched the ground and I was applauded by my co-workers. It was pretty cool.

I was so frazzled afterwards, what with my adrenaline through the roof, that I began frantically searching for my sunglasses.

"I know I had sunglasses before," I said. "Where are they?"

"Molly," my boss laughed. "You're wearing them!"

Oh. Right.

So now I have a huge bruise on my arm and my body is sore from using muscles I didn't know I had. But that bruise is proof that I did it.

And damn it, that feels really good.