Boulderactive
2012 happened quickly like a flash, an on-sight flash! The entire weekend of
pulling and pushing and jumping and falling took sweet memory straight down to
the core of fibers running through the entire body. Now I definitely feel it. It might have been the adrenaline surge that
kept me together for the duration of the elimination round. Now, after a flushing, I do feel the strain. Before
anything, there is due congratulations to all the winners and the participants.
Also of great note, Yuji and Kim truly did a very, very impressive job during
the event. The results were really very
astonishing. Weaknesses and strengths
were greatly revealed and the many aspects of climbing were put to the
test.
Realization
is seeing through the creamy white foam atop a mug of a frothy ice cold beer,
downing the ale, going past the white clouds, taking in the bitter cold brew
until it hits you. You then set on a
spiral down an alley to face angels and demons, which to me may both be the
same. Contradictions face you head on
and you begin a “randori” like question and answer portion of an internal “are
you smarter than a 6
th grader” game show inside your head.
The
whole transition is best disposed off on a walk through “The Maze of
Mustafa”. The whole experience is
casually diluted through a blurry walkabout through high shelvings of slightly
disastrous laughter until the time when brain activity ceases and darkness
surrounds slowly collapsing eyelids. The
body falls limp, the noise begins to sound muffled and the last you hear is the
beating of your own heart.
Waking up sober and clearheaded, the entire experience begins to sound foolish while a fresh perspective, positive and unselfish transforms the day to a happier one. I’ve never felt stronger than now. I’ve never felt more sure than ever before that I’m on my way back to form. I just found out though that it takes only one problem to collapse all that. Sounds a bit too dramatic but, yes, I think just enough might be what’s needed to set the journey on a bittersweet note. Finishing poorly is an understatement and details might best be kept to a secret. I could think of a handful of reasons to justify what happened but that will not be a ninja thing to do.
In the end, there is only one sheet of paper that would tell the story by
numbers. Perhaps this part of the story,
the annotated version, the behind the scenes take, the outtakes, is not the
final chapter. This is just one of those
conflicts that dyes the scenes red, blue or yellow. It might be that this is a necessary turning
point that helps me realize what else needs to be done.
There
is something of great note however.
While my personal dilemma begins to unfurl, something more inspiring
surfaces. There is the stepping up front
from the team. The focus shifts and the
direction of the whole story turns another direction. The team steps up with courage and
strength. Jason was exceptional on the
boulder problems. Stan and Jose pushed
it. Sig is definitely coming out. Bernadette made it to the Intermediate
Women’s Finals and Krissie, Ia and Kat all were brave in facing up to be next
at bat. These steps are all that is needed.
The roads on these journeys are not at all smooth paved highways. While some have already started coasting, the
hardest part is always the initial twitch.
Try moving a parked car by pushing.
It’s always tougher moving it from a stationary position but once its
moving, it’s own momentum creates lesser friction. Such a geeky proposition does apply and I
continue by saying, just keep going and for sure soon you’ll feel the waves
going with you than against you.
Bravery
was at its highest, friendships became stronger, bonds tighter and trust deeper,
knowing all will be better. I have to
say I’m very impressed the way this part of the story twists. Resolve, desire . . . I look back and see
eyes staring back at me wide and sparkly.
Good signs indeed.
Question
is…how long do we write it? How long do
we keep the pages turning?
Perpetually? It will be your own and
you decide which way it will go. From
training, to pizza rewards, to slight injuries…from humid warm nights at “The
Hive”, to crossing the wide intersection whilst avoiding being hit while yawning all
the way to get breakfast…from getting my foot stuck between the MRT doors, to
leaving behind a friend, to going separate ways, to meeting up again…from
squeezing every ounce of juice from the holds, to jumping high as possible, to
falling down hard…from one of the longest isolation ever, to the fastest cycle
times…from feeling down to being lifted by the future’s possibilities…
I
don’t see how there’s a blue ending to this promising golden morning. There could be a little drama but I guess a
little bit of pepper in the eyes is what we need.
