Looking up from the ground, it hadn’t seemed that high but now, standing on the edge, the drop is positively dizzying. The topmost tree branches are several feet below me, the rich patchwork of leaves swaying restlessly in a breeze that, alarmingly, is growing stronger.
“It’s a bit gusty but you’ll be fine once you get going,” says my instructor, correctly reading my hesitation. “All set?”
I nod as confidently as I can and lean back, grasping the rope tightly. Looking straight ahead—not down—I ease the thin line through the cleat and drop an inch, gasping as my feet slip on mossy wet rock.
“You okay?”
Heart hammering, I muster a smile. “I’m fine.”
“Good. Try that again and let the rope take your entire weight this time. It’s perfectly safe, remember?”
Yes, I remember and I understand
