TRUST YOUR SPOTTER!

RETRO-Mom's Moment
February 11, 2007

One of the things I miss about Brandon and Tannya not living here is that we aren't exposed to rock climbing gear, or adventures, or mishaps, etc. I don't worry nearly so much either...well, I didn't really WORRY before, but I sure prayed hard whenever I knew Brandon was climbing, or when he would take some of you kids climbing!

I want you to think about the first time you saw Brandon climb at Chuckawalla, and then think about the first time you tried it. My very brief experience with it was that it didn't look hard at all when Brandon was climbing, and from the perspective of my being on the ground, it didn't look like it was that far up. I could easily see the places where climbers could get a good hand or foothold, and it all seemed relatively easy from my inexperienced point of view. I had never climbed before, and yet I was sure I could.

So, I tried it! It was kind of weird putting on the safety harness, but it made me feel secure to know that Brandon would be belaying me if I got into trouble and fell. After he gave me a few tips Brandon told me to go ahead and start climbing. Hmmmm, okay. . .where do I start? What should I grab first? All of a sudden things didn=t seem quite so easy, and I was still on the ground!! But I got started and managed to get about 3 feet off the ground before I started to doubt my ability. It was kind of frustrating to hear from other climbers on the ground, "Just grab that spot above your head and pull yourself up!" Or, "Step over there, it's not that far, just reach!" It was scary, even if I wasn't that far off the ground, and even if I knew Brandon was ready to catch me on belay! Not long after I started, I told Brandon to get me back down on the ground. After he good-naturedly stopped laughing, he let me down!

I recognized a few things from this experience: I didn't have the right gear. My large, cushioned running shoes were not well-suited for finding the tiniest toe-holds to stick my foot in and to push up on. My legs muscles were okay, but my arm muscles were definitely not ready for the work of pulling my body weight up to the next handhold, which was a mere scrap of rock!

I also observed some other things. The spotters on the ground had a much better perspective of where safe places were than I did. I couldn't see squat from my perch on the wall! And I hadn't gone very far.

If a spotter is good, he can help encourage the climber, pointing out places where to go, and spots to avoid. From the climber=s perspective it may not look right, but if he TRUSTS his spotter he can climb higher, faster, and farther. If he doesn't he may get stuck, and may even end up falling.

A climbing spotter is very much like our parents, and sometimes siblings. They have been on "climbing walls" before, and have had experience we may not have. They have gained wisdom from their experiences. Your "spotter" might see things more clearly than you can, and give counsel that will help you overcome the challenges facing you. Perhaps, if you listen and follow the directions, you will bypass some hazardous areas, and reach greater heights than if you "go it alone."

The best spotter of all, of course, is our Savior. He is the perfect One to follow. He knows where the tricky spots are, and how to get through even the toughest areas. He has smoothed out the roughest paths, if we will just follow in His steps. I hope we do.