Dear all, sorry for yet another absence. Only due to doing too many fun and time consuming things. 

On one of these outings, namely on a mountaineering spree in south Croatia I had an AHA moment.

Some have these spiritual moments. For others they find their calling. For me it was the complete and utter realization there must be something missing in my basic put togetherness.

I was sat on a rock mid climb, trying to explain a shortened version of my last 6 trying years, whilst forgetting ailments and the adding them to my story at a later twist my co climbers suddenly got quiet.

Not only did it seam like too much happening to one person as it sounded a bit almost made up. I wish! The following question from my co climbers was: -So why are you climbing?

Good question. Valid. The answer? I’m not sure, it’s good fun? I like trying new things? I like challenging myself? I’d like to find new ways of injuring/possibly killing myself?

I’m not sure. I just signed up to the climbing to be a partner for my 9 year old Mel as she wanted to climb a real mountain. It never once occurred to me that me weighing a little bit more than double of her weight, she wouldn’t make a great bi-liner for me, as she lifted from the floor as soon as I leant back in my harness. It was all good comedy whilst on the climbing wall with instructors handy to advise and take over when things were going a bit too far.

After a few days of wall practice we made it to the Paklenica nature reserve. Climb heaven for all of you that have never been. A fabulous mixture of easy to medium to hard core cliff hangers. 

As Mel is the far more confident as well as skilled climber of the two of us, she went first. I bi-lined (was her safety rope holder) a few times but also the instructor Cat was there to help us.

Climbing is a beautiful sport. It’s just you and some stone. Sometimes a tricky little tree that has somehow managed to grow vertically on a sheer rock face. 

Where we climbed, routes had been lined up, but never in my wildest dreams had I imagine it to be as trying as it was.

It could maybe have been because of my previously broken and mended right knee, or possibly my newly healed sternum, or for that fact the most painful bit of my body are my fingers that I injured by just falling on the street a couple of weeks ago. No horses, skis or dancing competition involved. Just me and a side walk. Level as far as I know. The next second, again like in slow motion I am flying through the air… only to land on my outstretched fingers and my right cheek. I know whilst in the air and especially as I was hitting the ground, my one and only thought was -How on earth will I explain this to Dan?

Well nothing other than bruising and a bit of swelling happened. I will be known as the least graceful mother in my youngest daughters street dance crew as the fall happened right in front of other parents from said group.

Now back to my AHA experience.

There I was hanging by one fearfully sore left hand as I was trying to find anywhere to place my right foot and transfer some weight over. The question of why I was doing the climb, after everything that has happened to me it suddenly came to me. This journey that we are on, the one where we live, and learn or sometimes just keep injuring ourselves, that’s the point. It’s the journey that takes us wherever we end up. The people we meet. The wonders we see. It’s the never ending story. Because it’s true. It will never end. That’s why I climb.

Keep climbing, and smiling 🙂 you never know where next you will go