The Rock Climber

The sun had yet to show itself. The rock climber gauged his next feat by surveying the unique structures visible from the baseline. Of course he knew that on his way up there were going to be moments where he would have to quickly change plans and reroute his ascending path. The surface of the rock was clever that way. The vastness of its façade, the texture that withstood time, and the sheer boldness of its presence gave the rock climber a deep feeling of reverence. Reverence was the ritualistic element that the rock climber had to submit before attempting his journey upward. No previous rock had allowed the rock climber to set foot on its summit if he was not humbled. The rock was a proud deity. The rock climber continued to engage in his cognitive surveillance. The climb would be easy at first. There were many small jagged edges that would allow him to reach about 20 km with grace. However, from previous experiences, he knew they could not be trusted. Every single grab and step must be premeditated. At first he would feel with his hands, the sturdiness of the edges, and then calculate the ability of the edge to support his weight. Superficiality had no place in climbing. In fact, all true rock climbers knew that eye sight had nothing to do with the success of a single step upward. Above the 20 km, the climber saw that the face of his adversary would change and become smooth. This is where the real work would begin. Using his tools, the climber would puncture the surface with harness bolts that would then be used to attach the screwgate carabiners. Most of the time would be spent manipulating the equipment. At a certain point, the rock climber saw that there would be a wide ledge where he could rest and gather his remaining strength for the finish. However, this ledge also prevented the rock climber from seeing the rest of the way like the rock was intentionally hiding its most dangerous secrets. The rock climber smiled to himself. The top was never the intention of the rock climber. And contrary to what most believed, it wasn’t about the journey either. In the deepest recesses of the climber’s soul he felt that he was communicating with the rock, a conversation that could not be replicated by modern trickery. To achieve this, the rock climber had to throw way his falsities and stand bare before the grand judge. He knew that a mere human like him had absolutely nothing the rock desired, except for the abandonment of self. The sun was no longer immature, announced the commencement. The rock climber was ready and with the smile on his face that could be interpreted as arrogance or excitement, and with the eyes of absolute determination, he began his ascension.