Diving in and letting go – and changing perspectives
Jill and her husband Danny had been empty nesters for three years. A house once full of activity had quieted down to Jill, Danny and their two dogs. So when Anna, their globe-trotting daughter, asked them to meet her in South Africa, how could they say no.
It was the best trip ever! They had thought provoking conversations with locals, went on a safari, and loved eating the local cuisine.
Jill Chessen is not the type to go on a life threatening adventure. Little did she know that this trip would offer her the chance to confront her fear of heights. Would she be willing to swim out and stand on the edge of the world’s largest waterfall…Victoria Falls?
The day they arrived, the river was moving faster than normal. That would not stop the kids, they were definitely doing it. Danny knew his boundaries. This was not for him. Jill was still working up her courage as her turn approached.
It was now or never. With a bit of anxiety, she grabbed the support rope and for the next ten minutes made her way out to a boulder in the middle of the river. Next she let go of the rope and slowly swam towards the fall. She had to stay left to avoid the swift moving current to her right. At the edge, two expert guides grabbed her legs. Jill totally trusted them not to let go, took a deep breath, and stood up.
The sheer scale of Victoria Falls and the spectacular Zambezi River below was amazing. She experienced the awe of nature, the thrill of conquering a fear, and the adrenaline of her life hanging on the edge
Moments like these have a way of shifting our focus to what’s most important. Jill felt something inside her change. Her worries dissipated, she found an inner calm, and felt a new sense of strength. Breakthroughs often lie on the other side of fears.
Our day to day life becomes so familiar to us that sometimes we forget how to break out of our comfort zone. Adventures have a way of waking us up and pushing us to new heights. Way to go Jill!
