No fear: Take risks in life

Laura Gieseking
Staff Writer
April 22, 2004, Page 4

I am the type of person who has that invisible list of ‘Things To Do Before I Die.’
I think it was created somewhere between the moment in elementary school when I chose to be an astronaut and the moment I promised not to become my parents.
I have always believed that God gave us a short time on this earth for two reasons: to help others as Jesus did and to live life to the fullest. Life is too short to succub to mediocrity. It is meant for adventure.
This past weekend, I checked rock climbing off my list.I was not alone. Freshmen Chelsi Klentz, Ben Schutter, Roni Hodges and a friend from Lincoln took the trip to South Dakota with me.
Before we knew it, we were scaling large boulders at Palisades State Park in complete darkness. The five of us didn’t bring a flash light, so we followed the lights from our fellow experienced hikers’ head equipment.
Though our leader packed a few extra tents, we decided to sleep under the stars. The romantic idea of this quickly faded as the morning light woke us to the fact that we were freezing.
I wasn’t going to let a plugged nose and frozen toes hinder my craving to climb.
We packed up camp and shoveled dry cereal, donuts, and fruit in our mouths for a quick energy boost. It was time. The 10 of us loaded into the van to begin our day’s adventure.
We drove to the same 60 foot boulder that we climbed the night before. The rock jetted high above the canyon river. We climbed to the top and our leaders began to anchor the ropes.
It was finally hitting me that I was really going to rock climb. It was my turn to be Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 2 and that young man in the Marine commercial. All I could do was smile.
I was too anxious and excited to realize the reality of scaling a huge rock with only a rope to protect me. I didn’t care. As they lowered me down an incredible adrenaline rush raced through my body.
As I started my ascent back to the top, my eyes became focused on searching for each piece of the rock where I could place my feet and hands. To feel my arms supporting my entire body, I felt powerful. Just hours before I was back at Doane, stressing about my projects and papers due, and here I was playing on one of the biggest jungle gyms God created.
Adventure is out there and in all different forms. From rock climbing to falling in love, life is full of risks and adventures.
Make a list for yourself and start checking things off. Don’t believe people who say the best way to live is to play it safe. They don’t realize that trying and failing are a part of the game.
Don’t let your insecurities hold you back and allow you to take life for granted.
Think big and start climbing to the top. I did.
Want to join me?