Trust the Rope

I finally climbed Bukit Tabor. (!!!) It's been a mission I have intended to complete since I got to know about the place. Even more because I've been told I can't survive the climb seeing how careless I am. God willing, I survived without much casualty, sunburns don't really count la.

The best thing about being challenged in nature? You learn lessons. Today's climbing lessons?

1) Trust the Rope.

There was this point in the climb where it was a vertical climb down, and dear God, I am not good with steepness and on slippery rocks. My friend who was helping us down the climb kept reminding us to 'trust the rope'. It's not easy. You see that somewhat-strong looking rope, and then you compare with it your perception of whether it can support your weight, and then you see the drop, straight down. But if there's anything more difficult than moving forward past a challenge is also knowing that you can't get back. The in-between-ness of life that afflicts most of us often makes us feel paralysed.

Yet, we are always blessed with 'ropes' to guide us across our challenge. The thing is, this rope does not come with SIRIM quality safety stamp of security. And often, the rope is not ourselves. It's someone else, it's a feeling of faith or some resource we're not too sure we can rely on. Basically it's most likely some form of existence that is full of uncertainty, but a part of you knows that you have to know whether this is the one thing that will bring your across the crevice. Do it.

Sometimes we are 'ropes' to others; some more than others. And if you're blessed to have the ability to be one, embrace that calling, that opportunity. At the same time, to be 'ropes' to others, we need to first learn how it feels like to trust the rope ourselves. Otherwise, it's pretty difficult to understand the feeling of hanging by a rope in life, and when one does not understand, how does one do?

2) You don't know it till you are actually doing it

It's majorly helpful to have experienced people in life to help you navigate across obstacles. Then the time comes when you are left on your own to navigate an obstacle that only you can navigate. There will be pathways previously, however mild. There will even be instructions. But the fear-laced exhilaration when you are dealing with the obstacle head on is something you will never see if you are not in the arena, or even trying to learn from others. Yet, it is also this head-on honest confrontation that will teach you which footing should go where, these are situations where you learn to trust one of those you would always need to trust in life - yourself.

3) Values in convenience VS values in discomfort

It's easy to stay by our principles when it's to our convenience, when it's comforting and easy for us to carry it out. But the real challenge comes when it is difficult to practice what we preach. In the scorching sun, and painful feet positions because of a steep walk down - not easy to enjoy your surroundings. One of my values in life is to gratitude, to practice being grateful. And it is not easy when you are not in your best form. Yet, we're not in the best form half the time in our lives, and those time matters. Those time question your hold on these principles, on whether you really put your faith in them. I'm glad that I am reminded of this challenge, even if it means just taking two minutes to realise the surrounding I'm in, and to be grateful with it rather than just concentrating on finishing the trail.

I think this is why we're so encouraged to put ourselves in challenges that stretch our comfort zone. It activates our thinker mode. With heart, these thoughts become great lessons in life.

Different view, different perspectives.