Every new year's eve is relatively uneventful for me. In the past I felt left out, not part of the "in" crowd. If I wasn't at an all night bash drinking it up and with a hundred other people claiming to be my friends, then I thought something was wrong with me. Cultural cliche's tell us that new years eve is a time for extreme cazyness, where we have to party because if we're stuck alone at home watching TV then that means we're social outcasts doomed to be alone for the rest of the year and possibly our life. Of course even if I wanted to be "normal" I couldn't. How can you go party with friends you don't have? That was how things went back then, seven times out of ten I spent it at home, staring at the TV. I watched new years eve count downs on every channel (US and Canadian)...
This new year's eve i'm staring up. Staring up at two frightened eyes of a young girl. A young girl who is hanging 20ft. off the ground with a harness strapped around her waist that apears to be made for a child many years older than her. She's stuck two thirds up the side of a rock climbing training wall. She's in what appears to be a dilemma. Do I give up and climb down, or do I show mom and dad that I'm made of more than they expect? "Go on, you can do it!", I yell at her from below. Inside of me, my gut says she will give up and be on the way down. I'm already preparing my speech about how it's ok and at least she tried and I'm proud of her anyway etc. Externally I was still smiling and could not show any disapproval, not even a flinch. She could read that.
She flipped her head back up and streched for a small simulated rock knob. A few inches was all it took and she was stepping 1, 2, 3... she made it to the top. The smile on her face. The free fall... that was nice. Hugs and kisses for the little 6 year old billy goat.
So, do I feel depressed and "left out" this new years eve? Not a chance. Funny thing is... I missed the count down... hmm, that's too bad I guess. Maybe next year.
Higher Ground Climbing Gym
