Ropes

So after taking a day off for Ropes and having a weekend, I am here at work playing catch up. Thought I would take a break from today's fiascos to write a little.

So last Friday was Ropes... that was different. It was like an all day adult recess. Which would have been a lot of fun if you were one of those people that liked recess. I, otoh, as a child found recess painful. I was so shy that by the time I worked up the nerve to go ask if I can play with the other kids, the bell would ring. Then it would start over at next recess, work up that nerve and the bell rings. Eventually I quit trying to work up the nerve and would just walk the perimeter of the playground. I did, eventually, find a good friend in 3rd grade and we were inseperable until I moved at the end of 8th grade. I was just one of those kids that did better one on one.

Ok, so I digressed. The thing about this "recess", at least for me, is that I felt like most everyone there was probably one of those nerdy kids that found recess a waste of time and would have rather been inside studying. But here there was NO competition, just team building. (And I am NOT one of those anti-competition people.) I walked onto the Ropes course a skeptic and finding the whole process quite painful (and some of it was literally, painful), but I left happy.

Some of the challenges initially seemed as thought they were aimed at 10 year olds. Like, pick what superhero you are based upon these qualities. (I already forgot who I was... something to do with being dependable.) But in the end, they all had "lessons" that anyone could take from. There was a lot of symbolism and metaphors, yet they didn't take a whole lot to figure out. The tasks were physically challenging at times and it was completely necessary to get over any fears of being touched or someone in your personal space in order to have success.

My favorite challenge was the Spider Web, but probably because I was one of the main organizers for my team during this challenge AND I only had to be lifted up and passed through the web once, as opposed to 10 times like some other people.

The last section was the actual Ropes. The catwalk and the trapeze. I had intended on doing both, but was not in the first group of people for the trapeze. I knew that as a former gymnast I would have no issues with the catwalk. Actually I was wrong. My issues weren't with the catwalk, however, it was getting up TO the catwalk. Climbing the staples on the phone pole, even while harnessed up, was very scary to me. Getting OFF the staples and onto the catwalk was difficult. I don't have a fear of heights, but I have a fear of falling.

After watching the trapeze I knew there was just no way I could climb the staples and get myself to a standing position on the top of a telephone pole (not quite as tall) and then jump. So I finished with the catwalk. Many of my team members had a real difficulty with the trapeze, people who I wouldn't have thought would. It wasn't a difficult decision to keep my feet on the ground for that one.

All in all, I had a really great day. This may have been the first ever "recess" I ever enjoyed. Even when we played "chase" I proved myself to be among the more athletic by lasting untagged until the last 3 people.

I will close in saying, if you get a chance to participate in a Ropes course. Do it.