Heather G.

"One of my favorite memories was one summer I was working as a volunteer leader at a young life camp in Rock Bridge, VA and there was a ropes course with 12 elements, each gaining in difficulty as one proceeds through it. Oh yeah, and did I mention that it's set by a rushing river and it was high in the air?? (I am deathly afraid of heights!) So really, I didn't want to have to get on the course, but I had a camper that was also afraid of heights and she wanted to try it. She was afraid she would regret not doing it if she didn't at least try. She was just as afraid of heights as I was so I told her 'let's do this together.' She got all excited and ran to grab her gear.

Now me, you know, the one who is supposed to be the furious leader, I start freaking out! Shaking and saying 'Heather Sue, what in the world did you just get yourself into by promising this girl you would do the course with her???'

Erin (the girl) returned from getting suited up and said 'come on Heather, let's go!' So I geared up making sure all the proper clips were clipped and belts were looped. I had the fear of God in me as I took on the first element of the course. To this day I have never had an experience come close as I did this one! So Erin fearlessly sets off to jump on the course and she does it so effortlessly, then runs to hug the tree. 'I did it,' she exlaimed. 'Come on Heather, youc an do it!' But, deep inside of me I was screaming 'no you can't, this girl is crazy! I can't do this! What was I thinking??'

So attempt 1 I close my eyes and say 1...2...3...jump, but I don't jump. My body is a frozen solid block. 'Okay Heather, you can do this,' I say to myself. You know those little pep talks. Attempt number 2 'Okay, you can do this,' 1...2...3... and a little jump this time, but not even close to making it onto the first element of this course. 'Heather, get yourself together, you can do this!" By this time Erin says, 'I am giong to the next element. You better get up here, I need you!' So I muster up every ounce of courage that I have within me. 1...2...3...and I leap and look, I am jumping and floating in the air and land. 'THUMP,' I was on. I remember sayin 'Alright Erin, I'm right behind you!' Erin and I screamed and laughed, and even cried our way through parts of this course but guess what, we made it!

I remember as we got to the last element - the zip line - she was terrified and just wanted to be on the ground. She says to me, 'Heather, I can't do it, I can't jump,' and I said, "sure you can, just close your eyes, count to three, jump, and scream if you have to, or just look at your friends waiting for you at the bottom of the course!' It was true by this point my leadership team, my student leaders, and her friends, as well as some other campers were awaiting our arrival at the bottom of the course. So Erin closes her eyes and counts 1...2...but before she could get to three, the ropes guide gave her a little push and she was off screaming and zipping her way to the bottom towards her friends who caught her and congratulated her on making it throught he course. I, on the other hand, was at the course not even about to think twice. I just wanted on the ground and out of the trees. I barely made it to '1' before I jumped off the platform and zipped down the line.

As a leader this was one of the most rewarding moments. I faced my own fears as well as helped my teen realize that even when we're scared, it's okay to push through and the reward is great!