You know what? I’m missing climbing immensely. Not just immensely, but intensely, madly, deeply, passionately, and add-your-indescribable-word-here-ly. Why? Well, it’s not just for the physical and mental release. Do you know what else it is? I’m lonely. Yes. I’m going to admit it. I’m miserably lonely because this pandemic has taken human contact from me, and that’s perhaps the most crippling thing about it for most of us short of and on top of actually contracting COVID-19 if we were all honest with ourselves and the world. Online platforms help us communicate, and some tools even allow us to have virtual face-to-face conversations, but there’s something about actually looking into each other’s eyes and being able to shake hands, fist bump, and hug that we as human beings desperately need to feed our souls and keep them alive. Climbing allows us to do all of that when there’s no deadly virus on the prowl for fresh hosts to kill off. This pandemic is truly a tragedy, not just in terms of physical illness, but in terms of emotional pain as well. People can’t properly say hello or goodbye. People can’t even get close enough to breathe the same air or talk to each other safely without a face barrier of some sort (and that only makes them feel a little better about it from a great distance). This virus 🦠 has the human soul by the throat and is squeezing the life out of it. We have to support each other any way we can to get through this. We don’t need more casualties from mental illness and suicide on our hands on top of what SARS-CoV-2 is taking from us already. Check in with your friends and plan a climbing trip for when this is all under control. Nobody knows how long that will be, but having something to look forward to is crucial during this time! Set some goals. Train at home as you are able. Try to keep yourself fit so that when the day comes, we can all climb together and give each other a fist bump when it’s safe to do so again. I so look forward to climbing! I’m planning some dream trips in the meantime while I’m down with pneumonia and isolating from the Coronavirus. Stay safe, and don’t forget to give your climbing buddies a holler on the other end of the phone or internet to make sure everything is okay. #NoUnnecessaryCasualties
Content Rating PG, for the most part
I try to keep the content of my posts in the PG range (meaning that maybe your 13-year-old should not read it... Just kidding!) - you know, something I could get away with tastefully in the town square without getting lynched, tarred-and-feathered, or hung (and something my mother would NOT wash my mouth out with soap for). As far as what age you have to be to understand some of the subtleties of my humor in writing and/or speaking, well... That may vary. A lot.
