I watch the chalk dust, thick in the air, glitter and swirl around through the sunlight streaming through the windows. It looks a little like what I think fairy dust must look like.
This winter I’ve been climbing a lot in the gym. And I’ve been totally, unabashedly, loving it. I have to confess that it took me awhile to admit this to myself. As a climber and outdoor enthusiast, I wanted desperately to love climbing outside, and to embrace everything about it—even lead climbing—with bravery, courage, and passion.
Unfortunately, I just wasn’t feeling it.
“I’m slow” had been a mantra for me ever since I got into outdoor activities. I would be painfully aware that I was bringing up the rear, the slowest person on the trail (or in the pool, or on the road). I constantly feared I was holding my friends and companions back, so developed a habit of apologizing for being so slow. And worse, an excuse to not get out there at all in an effort to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of embarrassment and incompetence.
