Facing my fear of heights and stepping close to the edge I said. “What”? I can’t believe I’m doing this! Facing my fear didn’t help since two weeks prior to my trip the news reported someone fell off the ledge. I said.”Oh, no way am I doing this!” Can you guess where I was? The SKYWALK at the Grand Canyon. Click here to see the photo. I was excited about making plans to visit the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon was a natural wonder I’ve always wanted to see. But I was determined to not do the SKYWALK period. If you said No Way would you ever go on the SKYWALK, I get it! We watched a fascinating video about the making of the SKYWALK on the tour bus. At the end of the video, the narrator said, quietly with assurance.”Ladies and gentlemen, you will miss the opportunity of a lifetime if you don’t experience seeing the Grand Canyon’s panoramic view on the SKYWALK.” Okay, I thought maybe the narrator is right. I thought about the words in my book “Power in Midlife and Beyond.” “Getting out of our comfort zone means experiencing life as though it was an adventure to discover more about you.” Life is moving towards finality no matter where you are in midlife and beyond. Facing our fears makes life feel like real living. I said to myself, well Barbara this is your adventure you better walk the talk and do this SKYWALK. Trembling moving towards the entrance to the SKYWALK; I put on my booties to walk on the glass. I looked around, and most of the people had similar expressions of fear. I was not alone. Once I put one foot in front of the other, I cautiously looked down into the canyon floor. Oh my God! Seeing the wonders of nature 4,000 feet below is a long way down. I was mesmerized! Breathless is the only way to express seeing the Grand Canyon. How I face fears is best expressed by the author, Adam Hamilton, UNAFRAID Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times. He says, “Face your fears with Faith, Examine Your Assumptions in light of the facts, Attack your anxieties with action, and Release your fears to God.”
Warm Blessings,
Dr. Barbara
