The Valley Below

Everybody went for a walk on Sunday after the wedding we attended in Italy. The end point, before returning, was one of those high swinging wire bridges. There was a 150 metre drop to the valley below, and it was possibly 100 metres from one side to the other.

Most of us did it. I was one of the ones for whom it was a big challenge. The voices of encouragement didn’t make much difference to that. It was a lonely journey across, focussing on the breathing, and nothing else. And the same on the way back this time having to let go of the wire rope supports for a moment, to pass a few people nonchalantly crossing as though their lives weren’t actually hanging in the balance.

Every fear looks daft to people who don’t have the fear.

But like most fears faced, it felt like a victory afterwards.

And I suspect it will make standing up and playing a song in front of people, seem a whole lot easier too.