THE CLIMB
IN 2000, WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I ENTERED THE MOST DIFFICULT CLIMB OF OUR LIVES, HE SAID TO ME, “YOU MUST BE BRAVE”
BRAVE, I THOUGHT. HE MUST BE KIDDING. THE PERIL WE FACED ON THIS CLIMB SUFFOCATED ME. BRAVE WAS AS FAR REMOVED FROM ME AS THE LIFE WE KNEW, AND THE FUTURE FAST SLIPPING FROM MY GRASP.
THE BURDEN OF WERNER’S CLIMB FOR LIFE AGAINST CANCER HUNG HEAVY ON MY BACK. TERRIFIED AND DISCOURAGED, I LOOKED DOWN, BEGAN TO LOSE MY GRIP ON OUR SHARED ROPE, AND I WONDERED HOW AND WHO MIGHT HELP ME HONOR WERNER’S REQUEST. WHAT HE FACED TO SURVIVE ADVANCED CANCER WAS EQUIVALENT TO A CLIMB ON THE NOTORIOUS EIGER NORTH WALL.
THE SHARED ROPE
“YOU NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH YOU REALLY BELIEVE ANYTHING UNTIL ITS TRUTH OR FALSEHOOD BECOMES A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. IT’S EASY TO BELIEVE A ROPE IS STRONG AS LONG AS YOU USE IT TO TIE A BOX. BUT SUPPOSE YOU HAD TO HANG BY THAT ROPE OVER A PRECIPICE WOULDN’T YOU THEN FIRST DISCOVER HOW MUCH YOU TRUSTED IT?”
C.S.LEWIS FROM A GRIEF OBSERVED
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