Overcoming Fear with Trust

A former camper and counselor writes about her experience at camp:“I am very scared of heights. Despite this fear, I’ve climbed my way through multiple ropes courses and up rocks in more than one state and country. Why did I do it? I was challenged by all my friends to prove to myself that I was strong enough to do it. Plus, it helped that the camaraderie and the setting calmed my nerves and encouraged me to try each activity at least once. How did I make it through the course? By living in community with my fellow campers and staff at camp, trust was built.The same friends with whom I ate, shared a cabin, and played also supported me through the course. It is these same people who I trusted when I climbed 40 feet off the ground. It is these same people who I trusted to tell me step-by-step how to get through an element in the high ropes course. It is these same people who spent 20 minutes convincing me that I could go down the zipline. Without the bonds of friendship and trust, I know I would not have been able to make it through any of these courses or heights. Each summer the campers who make their way up Lighthouse Climb, the High Ropes Course, or through the Team Challenge Course depend on this same community of trust built at camp, and I know they will succeed just like I did.” ***Activity: Go with a trusted friend to your local climbing wall staffed with certified trainers to guide you through the course.

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