In a recent talk with a wonderful friend of mine, John, we discovered that there was a direct relationship between how much fear we experienced and how far we let our thoughts travel either into the past or the future.
It reminded me of a time that I was rock climbing up on Lake Superior at Shovel Point. It is a unique place to climb because you begin at the top of the cliff and climb down. At the bottom of the rock there is no beach, only the icy lake. I was told by fellow climbers to only climb down as far as I had the strength to return. I began climbing and felt great. As I descended I watched with fascination the dance like movements of my hands and feet. I experienced the power and exhilaration of the climb with joy. Then I came to a difficult spot and looked down. I was immediately frightened by how high I was and the difficulty that lay ahead. Looking up I was consumed with concern that I had gone too far. I hung there on the side of the cliff caught between an uncertain future and a doubtful past. I was frozen with indecision. My arms and legs began to shake from the exertion of trying to hold my self still. I knew that at any moment, they might fail me.
In that moment my attention was drawn to my left. There in the crevice of the rock grew the tiniest, little wildflower. Upon its petals glistened drops of dew illuminated by the sunlight. I felt overwhelmed by the beauty of this flower as it trembled in the gentle wind. Laughing out loud, with a sense of absurdity and clarity, I chose to focus only on the part of the cliff that I was holding on to. As my concern for the past and future slipped away, strength and joy returned to my body. I climbed down a bit further and then began my way back up. From time to time, I would lose my focus and again the fear swept over me. Yet, when I returned to the present moment, I found the resources to cope and succeed. This image throughout my life has invited me to accept the gift of the present and drawn me away from the distractions of the past and future.