Learning to Trust Your Tether

Yesterday my family went on a new adventure.

We found a great local Aeriel challenge course. (MohicanAdventures)

Simple enough, we climbed the stairs, were suited up in our harness, helmets and gloves and received our “How To” lesson and off we went.

The kids tore off through the first challenge before I could even look up.

My husband and I approached the obstacles with a little more concern, realizing we weren’t kids anymore and wanted to be able to move in the morning. It seemed the taller and heavier you were the more difficult it was to navigate the course. But I guess extra baggage makes every trip a bit more laborious.

Dave and I considered how to best approach each task as we see and hear the kids racing below us to the next course.

I look at my husband wondering why it seemed like it was taking us so much longer.

At one point Dave and I switched positions and I realized how intimidating it was stepping on to the rope, or platform or swing. You know it is always easier to encourage someone when they are going first...

Through each obstacle I tried to observe the person in front of me. The staff would give you suggestions and hints if you got stuck (and yes it is possible to get stuck). Gravity, fear and frustration can do interesting things to the body. I realized how weak my core was...and my grip and my legs...but mostly I wanted to know how to do something before I had ever done it. How much sense does that make?

At one point, my youngest yells, “Mom, do you want to know the best way to do that one?” Uh, Yes! Absolutely,  I was tiring and only half-way through this maze. He said, “just sit down Mom, and zip across.” O.K. sounds easy enough but that means I have to let go of ropes, hand grips and logic...

And it worked! And it was fun! I was learning to trust my tether.

On my last course I was behind a sweet family of 3. Mom, Dad and their10 year old son. Throughout the challenges, there were places you could choose the hard or “less hard” path. Dad had gone the more challenging route a realized he could not complete it. As he was helped down the escape route, Mom received the task of directing her son through the rest of the course.

She and I chit-chatted along the challenges and I found myself encouraging her and sharing the bits of knowledge that had been given to me throughout the day. She appreciated the help and I found it was easier to make it through the challenges helping someone else. 

Our final task was to navigate a rope wall to the ground. The Mom asked me how to get started. I responded, “trust your tether”. She sat back and relaxed and mentioned how much easier it was.

Honestly, I think I needed to hear my own advice more than my new friend did.

Trust your Tether Kym. You can lose your footing, drop your grip, run out of steam but your tether will always hold. Thank you Lord for being my Tether.