High Ropes

Twelve metres above the ground with only one narrow wire rope beneath my feet. I was surprised at the way my emotions and my body reacted to this unusual situation I found myself in. Having two ropes between me and a safety line above was not totally reassuring as I was the one who had connected them. Directly below I could see the barren ground, a seven metre high ropes element and the teen traversing it. The wind had picked up and was whistling around my head, singing scary music in my helmet. Rain clouds threatened to burst open at any moment, making the thin metal line I crossed more slippery. The tree tops beside me swayed, seemingly rocking the whole world with them.

I’d seen this twelve metres up from the hard ground below. It was so high that looking up one needs to bend your head back as far as your neck goes. Now unable to look anywhere but down, past the wire I unsteadily moved my feet along, I understood why some people are scared of heights.

Swish, swish the silver wire on which I walked also swayed. Was it the wind? Or was it my nerves and inexperience? As I paused, waiting for the wire to stop trembling or at least to slow down, it occurred to me that maybe the moving, almost twisting rope on which I struggled to balance may not be reacting to the wind around but to my internal contriving as I tried to figure out how to move my hands and feet, kept my faith in the equipment and replace thoughts of doubt with courage.

I took a deep breath. Slowly I let it out. I spoke words of courage softly. I made myself still. I waited. The line beneath my feet became quiet, a reflection of myself.

With calm I continued along the high ropes course, finishing with triumph! Yet from that great height I was reminded about how our inner world impacts our outer world. When we are twisted and conflicted, worried and stressed on the inside transfers into the movements of the world around us.

Often we choose to allow the two to recoil off each other in an ever tightening noose. Like when we choose to act in panic about a deadline and that anxiety causes us and the world and people around us, to join in the stress, which in turn creates more panic inside and out. Or we can breath, be still and move calmly and often more quickly, towards the goal ahead.

If we take a moment, when things are stressful, scary or uncertain, to take a breath and still ourselves, we can move forward with more peace and calm to conquer the challenge before us.

I recently found this quote on 365 Less Things “It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow.”

Question: Are there things that are panicking or stressing you at the moment? Would taking a moment to breathe and be still help you move forward with more calm? Do you agree or disagree with this? Share your feelings below.

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