On Belay?

One of the more enjoyable tasks I perform is belaying climbers at the local YMCA. This weekend, I found myself doing this at a birthday party. Parties are often the toughest duty because there is constant application of harnesses, a continual need to confirm that they have been properly and safely applied, and the need to provide basic instruction to the many who haven't climbed before.
Still there are dividends. On Saturday, a mother decided that she wanted to climb. For most adults, the climbing is the easy part. The tough part is when you've climbed either to the top of the wall or until you can't climb further, you must commit yourself to the rope. Letting go of the solid, stable wall and dangling on a piece of rope a half inch thick goes against virtually every instinct you've developed thoughout your life. It's that act of letting go of the wall that is, as a climber, the most difficult thing you must do.
It's always nice to see adults challenge their fears, and that's what makes it so nice when adults choose to climb.