I am a caregiver for an older lady, and she begged me not to go. She was convinced I would fall to my death. Although that was a possibility, all I could think was “What a way to go!” When I finished my adventure, I called her to let her know that I survived. She asked me in an incredulous tone “Why did you want to do that?” At the time, I was so amped up, that all I could think of was “because it’s exciting!” I thought about it more on the way home, and realized that it was about more than just excitement. There is something very satisfying about doing something on your bucket list. When I am laying on my deathbed, I will look back fondly upon days like this where I faced my fears and had unforgettable experiences! Doing it made me feel more excited to be alive! And it also made me wonder: “How will I top this birthday?” Hmmm, we shall see next year when I turn 49!
My birthday was 2 days ago and I went ziplining through the redwoods. It was such an amazing experience; it’s still hard to even find the words to describe it. I knew that it would be thrilling, but I felt no fear going into it. I’ve never been the least bit afraid of heights, but once we got up to the platform and were expected to do our first zip, I was suddenly terrified! Have you ever been up on a high dive and felt scared to jump? Well multiply that feeling ten times or so, and then you will get an idea of how I was feeling. Instincts took over when I got to the edge of that first platform and looked down. What if the cable broke? I thought about backing out and changing my mind, but I’d gotten up early and drove over 4 hours through snow to get there. Also, it had been on my bucket list for awhile, and I knew I would feel disappointed if I decided to back out. (plus I would lose all the money I paid) All things considered, I took the leap! I was too terrified to look down, and just screamed “WOOHOO!” at the top of my lungs like Homer Simpson! The first platform was up on a big hill, and then from there we were ziplining from tree to tree. It got easier and less scary with every run. In the tallest tree on the course, we were over 200 feet up. There were 6 ziplines of varied lengths on the course, and then we climbed a spiral staircase around the trunk of a redwood to two hanging rope bridges. At the end of the course, we rappelled 50 feet down a redwood tree. A lot of people go there to get over their fears of flying and heights. The experience left me feeling like I could face any fear in life by taking a leap of faith! Actually, it wasn’t even a leap…You’d just sit down, lean forward and off you’d go!
I am a caregiver for an older lady, and she begged me not to go. She was convinced I would fall to my death. Although that was a possibility, all I could think was “What a way to go!” When I finished my adventure, I called her to let her know that I survived. She asked me in an incredulous tone “Why did you want to do that?” At the time, I was so amped up, that all I could think of was “because it’s exciting!” I thought about it more on the way home, and realized that it was about more than just excitement. There is something very satisfying about doing something on your bucket list. When I am laying on my deathbed, I will look back fondly upon days like this where I faced my fears and had unforgettable experiences! Doing it made me feel more excited to be alive! And it also made me wonder: “How will I top this birthday?” Hmmm, we shall see next year when I turn 49!
3 Comments
12/19/2012 12:08:40 am
Wow, wow, wow! What an incredible experience! The photos are spectacular. I don't think you want to try to top that, though. About the only thing that could top it is jumping out of a plane, and that gives me a heart attack just thinking about it!
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Sonya B
12/19/2012 12:26:09 am
AWESOME! I'm excited for you. I want to do it. What an experience. Lucky for me we don't have a zipline through the redwoods on the east coast or I might have to go through with my word.
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Marines
12/23/2012 04:52:09 pm
What a phenomenal birthday experience! I have been petrified of heights ever since I can remember and always imagined myself doing something similar to conquer this fear! This just seems incredible. And being surrounded by the nature and the peacefulness must have made the experience even more satisfying! So Happy birthday!!! You really did deserve such a thrilling and beautiful day! I am so happy for you! xoxo
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AuthorHi! I'm Marguerite Bryant, but most folks just call me "M." This blog will be a place to share my musings and inspirational ideas. Categories
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