ZIP LINES AND SECOND CHANCES

It’s my son’s fault. I was never particularly scared of heights until I visited him during his study year in Spain. The Sagrada Família is a 560-foot-high basilica with stairways to the top. My stomach is back up in my throat just thinking about looking down from those spires!

This time last year I was in Norway visiting friends and facing a zip line down the Olympic ski jump in Oslo. I vacillated. No, I’ll pass. Ok, I’ll try it. No. No. I’m not doing it. Well, ok. I clung to the guy helping me on and closed my eyes for much of the ride. I did it but I can’t say I really experienced it. Not fully. And I’ve had some regrets about it ever since.

Fast forward one year to the mountains of Colorado. Another zip line presents itself in what was, until recently, the longest zip line in the state.

This time I am still scared but I scale the tree determined to be completely present and experience it fully. This time I don’t hesitate. My eyes are wide open and I take in the tall pines as they zip by. It is exhilarating!

Perhaps you have some regrets. You’d do it differently next time. Would love a do-over. But the reality is we all take valuable information from each experience and apply it to the next. We go for it. Mess it up sometimes. Evaluate the experience. And move on with new insights. It serves no useful purpose to regret the mistakes. It serves us well to look for the insight and be grateful for the experience and what it’s taught us.

I don’t zip line every day but I’m grateful for the insight that I can choose to fully experience whatever the day offers. I know that because I didn’t in Oslo.

Wishing you wisdom,