...One way or the other
I have been wanting to go off on my own adventure for as long as I can remember, but who hasn't fantasized about having an adventure? The reason we dream and set goals is because there things that call out to us, that tug on our hearts. We know it will be a long and rough road to get there, sacrifices will have to be made, but that's why they're dreams, not reality. People want to stay in their comfort zone, do what's easy, fast, and safe. It's sad to think hundreds of millions of people live their entire lives too afraid to make their imagination a real as what's already in front of them.
I have a dream. And I will go to great lengths to see it happen. My dream is fueled by faith and passion. Yes, curiosity and excitement plan an important role. Yes, it can be dangerous, but if humanity lived waiting for everyone to jump on board and follow the same path, we'd be nowhere. America certainly wouldn't exist! If you live in fear, what do you have? Really!?! False hope, empty promises, hollow soul...
Today, I refuse to give into fear. It took me a long time to admit my fears and face them. It only takes one moment to change everything.
About 5 years ago, I never knew I had a real fear of heights. Sure, I was scared to peer over the ledge of multilevel buildings and look down a cliff when I was hiking around, but I had no idea that in the wrong situation fear would get the best of me... even kill me. My friend Clem and I discovered Old Gold Camp Rd during our youth while riding mountain bikes in the Rockies by Colorado Springs. As we grew older, our gaze started searching for new terrain to "tear-up." After some day hikes and short free-climbing afternoons, we came to a massive cliff that was bigger than anything we had attempted to traverse in the past.
We were about 200ft up the cliff when I pulled out the rock I was clinging onto. I down almost a foot, but managed to get my feet back into some cracks to catch myself. The rock I pulled out crumbled into my lap as I scrambled to find handholds. Unable to find anything, I leaned into the wall, pressed my shoulders against the cliff and slowly throw the broken rocks off my lap. It took almost 15 minutes for Clem to spot me new handholds and calm me down enough to reach a safe place to catch my breath.After that experience, I realized that when fear overtook me, my natural reaction was to freeze then panic. That disgusted me! How could I, a thrill seeker, just play dead and give up in times like that. I had never done that before I faced a real terror. Over 3 years, I taught myself how to climb cliffs. I was scared out of my mind every time I found myself 30ft above the ground with no choice other than going higher. But, I learned to deal with it, to use the fear to make me a better climber, to overcome what frightened me and prove that mind is over matter.
Fear. Whatever yours is, find it and conquer it. The only fear that should exist in our hearts is to fear the Lord. He chooses when it's your time and when you'll prevail.
Now the hard part. God has blessed me with an opportune time to journey away from home and be where my heart calls me. I can do it, I can make it happen. The part that I can't do on my own is the financial side. I have planned and saved for this time, but being able to spend months on end in the wilderness not as a lot bum requires thousands of dollars.
This Kickstarter project is inching along. It may not reach the 100% mark and I may not find enough supporters to back the TCWPJ, but that won't stop me from going anyway. It will be more difficult, probably will take me longer without the right equipment. I will follow my heart, even if its difficult. Alone and penniless, didn't stop Jesus, didn't stop Paul, why should it stop anyone else? There's beauty in what you have to work for, especially if it leads to learning what it means to be a man. A real man, a man of God.
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