Hanging for Life

    The aroma of sweet plants fill the air. I feel the smooth, soft sand surrounding my feet. The sounds of laughter fill the quiet. The giant lake lurks below. Down, down, down. A near perfect day at by far the funnest place on Earth. We are at brownstone in Portland, Connecticut.

I march up in line with my head held high knowing I will accomplish what I wished to do for a long time. There is only one problem, I am afraid of hights. I await my turn to step up and second by second my head falls lower and lower along with my hopes and dreams. As I wait for the zipline my body tingles with anticipation. My mind is racing with terrible thoughts of me falling to my watery grave below.

I put my harness on and tighten it to the point where I can barely breathe. I start my trek on the rope bridge to get to the platform where I will start my descent. I can feel it creaking and shaking under my feet and can feel the fear rising inside me like a thermometer going from the cool air into a cup of boiling water. I swallow down my fear with one giant gulp. With each step more dread fills inside me. It drags me down, weights on my shoulders, slowing me down, making me crumple.

I finally get to the platform after what feels like forever.They grab the line and attach me to the stainless steel line. They give me a thumbs up and back away, signaling its time to go. I think to myself what someone said to me. I am the time and the time is now. I lean forward and let my body fall down. I fall but am suddenly rescued by the line and tugged up. I move forward and feel as if I was flying.

That feeling soon ends with my thud in the water at the end of the ride. I realize that I actually did what I wanted to do. I am overwhelmed. I now realize that it is okay to have fears as long as once in a while you can come up with enough courage and challenge that fear.

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