A couple years ago my sister, Anika, helped me cross off a bucket list item. I wanted to go rock climbing and she was a fantastic guide/instructor. She assisted me in getting all harnessed in, gave me great instructions and then became my support system….physically, emotionally and what would become an incredible spiritual life lesson for me!

Rock climbing was HARD!!! it took physical strength I didn’t know I had and the fancy shoes were killing my toes. I got to a point on the wall where the hand holds and toe holds weren’t super obvious to keep my forward or rather upward momentum. I became more and more frustrated, so I yelled down, “I think I’m done!”

My wise guide replied, “OK, but just take a moment, catch your breath and just acknowledge your efforts for right now, don’t worry about moving.”

I did as she suggested and noticed just how incredible the view was, how accomplished I felt to be halfway up this really difficult “scramble”. After a moment, she suggested, “While you are up there…check to your right and left, you might be surprised to find some easy holds.”

So I did just that and spent the next little while heading sideways and thoroughly enjoyed the sideways journey. There was a new view, easier hand holds and I continued to feel accomplishment in what I was doing, I even forgot about how bad my toes hurt. My plan was to make it to the top and frustration threatened that plan but after taking a moment, I could see there were many other options on my option plate and I didn’t HAVE to keep pushing forward if I wanted to make a new choice and a new plan.

This has been a HUGE lesson in my life and I owe it all to my fabulous sister who had the incredible insight to not let me “give up” too soon.

I have found that the plan I had for life didn’t turn out the way I planned it. However, I have realized there are so many other options on the option plate, I don’t HAVE to keep PUSHING and DRIVING forward, I can take a side tour and love it just as much or more!

The most important thing I took from this experience relates directly to a quote from Nora Ephron (A three time Academy Award winning writer, producer and director who continued to write while she secretly battled cancer.)

Thanks for the bucket list check off sis, it was SO MUCH MORE than I could imagine!