Obsessions
Tuesday, March 4th, 2008Passion - Obsession - Determination
Fuel for the soul.
Some of my friends had described me as being sporty and outdoorsy. Yet I find myself enjoying the comforts of my ipod and typing away on the internet. I never played basketball nor kicked with a team in futbol. I never was in a track and field team nor did I compete in a swimming competition.
I enjoy mountaineering, rock climbing, running, swimming, mountain biking and just quit recently, I found out why there is a craze in the sport named golf. Is it just me? Or is there really a different level of challenge when you don’t try to outrun, out swim or out jump an opponent? Is there a certain high when you face that big towering mountain, or that powder riddled rock wall? Is there something that lures free spirits into the depths of the oceans and the mysterious treks in the woods? Is there something about hitting a tiny white ball so perfectly and precisely that drives men mad and train their two year old boys become tigers?
Sporty, yes. But I’m no player. I didn’t wear a jersey or craved for new cleats or air Jordans. I did not sport a skimpy swim wear not did I played with a dozen other guys trying to get a hold of one ball.
Now, I don’t mean to demean those other sports. I’m sure people who love them enjoyed them as much as I enjoy a nice hike. But all I’m saying is - I didn’t.
I find my passion tuned to challenging myself. Challenging a question I pose myself like - "Can you make it?", "Can you last?’, "Can you make it out alive"? I think there is something about exceeding the expectation or preparation for a horrific experience or even death that attracts breed like me.
I dream to climb mount everest. It’s every mountaineers dream to conquer the most immovable God made object on this planet. There’s an allure to seeing all your hard work behind you, where your steps where. There’s a kick to knowing that every step must be sure, that every step or hold could be your last.
It’s not about towering above everybody else. Nor is it about showing that you are stronger than everybody else. In situations like that, all you can hope is that everyone makes it and has fun. All you can think about is reaching that one point. All you can dream about is that big long breath and look at where you came from, what you went through and where you are at. The weird part is… we don’t walk off a court. We don’t rest on a bench. We don’t have cheerleaders or crowds watching us. It’s just us, the mountain, the wall, the trail, the sky, the wind - and most importantly it’s just us and our own limit to what we can reach.
