When we were there, we headed straight for the produce section and she started wondering aloud where her old roomy had gone and who this health nut was?!?! Throughout the weekend, she kept noticing other things that have changed about me and it's starting to make me apprehensive about the return to Flagstaff and school.I have been noticing those kinds of things with myself as well. I set goals at the beginning of the summer--on the flight back from China actually--to improve my faith, relationships with people, and a few other focus areas. I can definitely see a change.
I've even strengthened my mental abilities and
have been pushing and challenging myself all summer. I have been thinking a lot about FDR's first inaugural address when he said, "the only thing to fear is fear itself." Monday, Laura and I hiked off trail up to Lake of the Clouds, which included a class 3/class 4 climb UP a few boulderfields and grassy areas with a huge drop off down below us. We were talking (mainly on the way down when we weren't so out of breath) about how it's best to conquer your fears and not make excuses for yourself or even to yourself.
With me, falling has always been my biggest fear. Most people think it's a heights issue because that's an obvious place where falling would affect me. Truly, I have no problem with heights if there is a wide open area. The top of the Grand Canyon doesn't scare me to look down if there's a gu
ard rail or even a tree I can hold on to so I can look down. It's the times when there are huge depths below me and there is nothing to stop me from dropping hundreds of feet.I have been talking myself into going further than normal quite a bit this summer. Last year, there would have been no way to get me to climb up the side of this cliff without ropes or harnesses, but I had no real problems on Monday. It's funny how much your brain can tell you that something is possible--just a matter of mind over matter.
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