Overcoming Fears

I was standing at the very edge of the rock with my back facing the steep abyss. The rope encircling my waist was tied to a little thin tree in front of me. Nobody was going to push me down. I had to jump off the rocks backwards into the steep gulf behind me. And, it was called rappelling.

I have this awful fear of heights. I don’t even clean the windows of my house and I just cannot climb any ladder. And here I was going to jump off some few hundred feet. The fact that on the way to the rappelling spot, we had noticed a snake skin and leopard droppings, was not helping my fear at all. I had to rappel my way to a narrow ledge that circumferenced the rock, walk on it, climb back up and then, do it again. (Optional, of course!)

“What would happen if I miss the ledge?” I asked the trainer.

“Your husband can’t sue me. You have signed an indemnity,” he said. I didn’t like to be reminded about the indemnity when I am on the verge to take the jump and I told him so.

“We’ll send out a search party, for sure,” he continued. I cursed out loud and took the jump. That kick- off into the abyss to rappel down was one of the bravest things that I have ever done.

Isn’t it exhilarating when you do something you have always feared? The thing need not enrich your life or help you achieve a goal but it is something that you have always feared doing. Maybe it was threading your eyebrow or chopping off your long locks or dancing at a pub with a stranger. The risk involved, the unexpected that may ensue and the sheer thrill of adventure is enticing for some and frowned upon by many. In case you belong to the latter category, stop. Don’t read further. You may not like/agree with what I might say. However, you are entitled to your opinion as I am to mine.

Sometimes our fear is a resultant of the doubts of social acceptance that our act may bring about.
Will my morals be questioned?
Will my intentions be doubted?
Will I be accepted?
Will I be loved?
What if he/she hates me?
What if…?

To reply laconically to all these questions, I have only one word, ‘If!’ (To know the story behind laconic replies, click here  )

Give it a chance. Do your thing. Live your fear. Cut your hair short, bunk your office, kiss in public, adopt a pet, elope, have a child - Do all those things you want to do! Except death, there is hardly anything in life that cannot be rewritten.