Climbing through fears

Last week I went wall climbing for the first time, possibly one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. I volunteered to go up first, thinking that the best way to tackle it was to get it out the way (it didn't really occur to me at the time that the lesson was an hour, and I'd probably have to climb a wall more than once) I got half way up the wall, and froze. Completely. I couldn't move an inch, all I could do was hang on for dear life. I remember hearing distant voices shouting 'you can do it' and 'left hand yellow' (yes climbing is vertical twister) knees knocking, palms sweating. Sadly mind won over body, and I abseiled back down to the wonderfully flat and solid floor shaking and looking very pale. Not in a million years was I going back up there. Lisa's turn, she shot up the wall rather elegantly, at one point actually walking up the wall, it was amazing. Then she glided gracefully back down, and the rope was handed back to me. My turn again, and the instructor told me I was going up there, and I wasn't to come down until I'd reached the top. Well that was it, I was off like a shot, straight up the wall, and was holding onto the pipes on the ceiling. I've got to admit, I felt very sick, and very dizzy, but I had done it. And I loved the abseil back down, it's very peaceful and calming after the chaos of climbing.

Well, all this climbing got me thinking. Climbing a wall is like life. You can stay on the ground, it's safe and comfortable, and it's fine, lots of people are here with you. But that's pretty boring. Maybe you'll start climbing that wall, and you'll get half way up, and can't physically and mentally go any further, so you go back and start again. But sometimes you really push yourself, fight through the terror and the pain, and you get there. And it's well worth that push, taking all that risk, because of the rewards. you'll feel like you've earnt it, and you're so proud of yourself, the best feeling in the world.

And even though I feel scared and slightly sick when I think about climbing, I still really want to go again.

Little Rays of Sunshine

So I'm sitting at my desk in the office,  and one of the loveliest parts of the day occurs. Around 16.30 (good time, usually on my last tea of the day) the sun hits Mark's office window, bounces off the glass wall of his office, and hits the left hand corner of my desk. Actual, warm, bright sunlight. Proper light, not that fake stuff that I sit in all day. This has me desperately leaning across my desk to suck up the remaining part of the day, all that vitamin D goodness. (Can you get vitamin D through glass, I'm guessing not :-( ) Ohh sunshine, where have you been these past few months, oh how I've missed you!! It's so warm and lovely, and makes my desk look more welcoming. It shines through my cup of water, sending sparkly rays everywhere, lighting up my Tresco postcard and making the beaches look even more inviting. The air conditioning has gone, and I feel like I'm sitting on that beach, pushing the sand through my toes, and flicking off the little sand hoppers that are bouncing everywhere. The office is transformed, and I'm no longer staring at accounting codes and cost centres, just the turquoise and greens of the gently moving sea, sipping on my cool glass of Chilean Savvy..... ahhh heaven.......

There is another window in our office. The blind is pulled over as soon as the sun shines through, apparently it is too bright......