Change on the Rock of Ages

C H A N G E As an acupuncturist, the phase I heard most often was, "I don't like change." Sometimes I offered in return, "Well, then I guess you don't like breathing." Breathing means change, exchanging in for out, in for out, until one day the change to in does not happen. The photo is of The Billy Goat Trail in Great Falls National Park, Maryland. Seven years ago this Halloween, I somehow sorta accidentally found myself, a Complete Climbing Innocent, at the base of this cliff called The 50 Foot Traverse. College kids were going up and down like, well, billy goats. Others were faring less well; two girls were stuck halfway up, crying. Three of the four people I was with hopped on up like bunny rabbits. Husband was having no problem. I was NOT going to go back all by myself. About 3/4 way up, I came to a well now what the hell do I do, how embarrassed will I be when the rescue people have to come get me, I will die if I fall, halt. (Note to self: the brochure said this is a technical climb.....find out what that means.) I was frozen, desperately holding on, my position non-changing as minutes ticked by. Then, from above me, came a calm, kind voice. "Let go of where you are, cross over to the other side, and come on up." In effect, a young man with skill and faith in my abiliteis, told me how to change. And I did. Day 7/7 #soul_selfie with a deep bow of gratitude and love to @shalaghhogan. #taleswithfriends

- C H A N G E
  As an acupuncturist, the phase I heard most often was, “I don’t like change.” Sometimes I offered in return, “Well, then I guess you don’t like breathing.” Breathing means change, exchanging in for out, in for out, until one day the change to “in” does not happen.

- The photo is of The Billy Goat Trail in Great Falls National Park, Maryland. Seven years ago this Halloween, I somehow sorta accidentally found myself, a Complete Climbing Innocent, at the base of this cliff called The 50 Foot Traverse. College kids were going up and down like, well, billy goats. Others were faring less well; two girls were stuck halfway up, crying. Three of the four people I was with had already scampered on up like bunny rabbits. Husband was having no problem. I was NOT going to go backtrack to the start of the trail all by myself.

- About 3/4 way up, I came to a, “well-now-what-the-hell-do-I-do; how-embarrassed-will-I be-when-the-rescue-people-have-to-come-get-me; I-will-die-if-I-fall,” halt. A Fuller than Full Stop. (Note to self: the brochure said this is a technical climb…..find out what that means.) I was frozen, desperately holding on, my position non-changing as minutes ticked by.

Then, from above me, came a calm, kind voice. “Let go of where you are, cross over to the other side, and come on up.” In effect, a young man with skill and faith in my abilities, told me how to change. And I did.

2 comments

a woman i had encountered years before said “i don’t think you belong her”–‘-“where do you think i belong?”
then she explained the journey–somehow i trusted her-and the following suggestions–and learned to re-trust a new way–and now I follow the path “breathlessly” 🙂

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