I have never been a coordinated or agile girl; especially
when it came climbing things. I think my
adept skill at falling down validates my healthy fear of heights. I didn’t know how to climb trees and frankly
I was quite content with that. That is until I met Casey. This young lady could climb trees like a
squirrel. It did not matter how tall or
limbless it was, give her a few minutes to work out a strategy and she would
make it to the top. I, on the other hand
preferred to stay with both feet on the ground.
Whenever we had spare time we tried to play hide and
seek. This can be rather challenging
with only two people, so much of our time was spent in preparation for when we
would have enough people to play. This time
was mainly Andrea boot camp. It was her
goal to get me up a tree, which afforded better hiding places. So one day we were out in her yard and I
decided I was going to make it happen. I
walked straight up to the tallest tree in her yard (I’m an idealist) and began
to try and climb it. She just stood back
and laughed at me. This tree was not
only the tallest but it had no branches or knots below ten feet. As I am not at least eight feet tall, this
was a rather unrealistic goal.
I do not enjoy failure.
In fact I am sure most people don’t either. However, when I am unable to meet my goal,
often I am so discouraged that I just give up.
This poses a huge problem in the life of a dreamer. If you aspire to reach the stars you will
fail when you just try to reach out and grab them. You have to break down what you want and find
out the most basic steps to get you there.
So after one minute of failed determination, I was ready to
throw in the towel. I would never be
able to climb a tree. I am a person and
people are meant to walk on the ground, not in trees. Casey must have squirrel blood somewhere in
her family. I turned back to her and
told her that I couldn’t do it. With a
huge sigh of exasperation she told me of course I could. I wanted to argue; in fact I’m sure I
did. There was no circumstance that I could
think of that would get me up that tree.
She rolled her eyes at me and dragged me over to another tree. This tree was short, nobly and covered with branches. Doubt still coursed through me but she
promised me cookies and I love cookies, so I grudgingly told her I would try
again. Foot by foot she told me where to
step and what to grab on to. It was very
difficult. I slid several times. I kept telling her I was done and I couldn’t
do it. I’m pretty sure at this point she
came outside with the cookies and
started eating them in front of me. As
sweet and kind as she was, she did have a splash of spitefulness; though it was
this spite that got me up my first tree.
That night I went home scratched and sore from all my
attempts. I walked away having conquered
a goal. I didn’t realize then the life
application connected with climbing a tree, I was just happy to have a new
hiding spot. Looking back now I believe
that helped me learn that I cannot just give up on my dreams because they seem
too far out of my reach. Despite the
obstacles that loom above me, I just have to take it one foot at a time.
