sar_girl to the rescue!

I received this email from sar_girl recently and she gave me her permission to share it with you:

In our search and rescue squad there is a guy who instructs rappelling and cave rescue and that sort of thing. I have always wanted to try it but I am
TERRIFIED of heights.

[Take a look at this cliff!]

Anyway...I got home late Friday, and Saturday morning we had this rappelling training class. I watched Barry [husband] go down and some of

[Barry on belay.]

my friends. I climbed to the top of a 130 foot straight drop off cliff. I was scared--bad scared. Anyway, I let Jim hook me up on the harness. I have known Jim for several years and really trust him or I would have never done it.

I didn't know if I could do it. I started to get teary and cry a little bit. Jim is awesome in talking you through everything. This guy is an RN, EMT, Rescue Trainer. I swear there is nothing this guy doesn't do in the emergency and rescue field. He made me feel really comfortable. The rope fed thing I had was kinda slick and I couldn't stop the rope when I stepped over the edge so Jim pulled me back up and gave me his favorite feeder, the one he uses for cave rescues. That worked great.

[sar_girl's rappel.]

So...I had to take the scariest step and that was to walk off the edge of a cliff backwards. Baby steps, let out some rope...baby steps, more rope, sit in the harness, legs out straight, walk down the cliff. I tell you what, it was a lot of work but as soon as I was over the edge the fear was gone. It was a great feeling. I conquered a major fear not once but twice. Yes, I climbed to the top and did it again. I think I will do it again some day, too.

[She liked it so much, she did it again. That's sar_girl in the middle.]

Now I wouldn't hesitate to rappel down to assist a rescuer retrieving a victim. Heck, I think I will do it just for fun some day again. To me what makes it so scary is there is no second chance. If something goes wrong and you fall, that is all she wrote. There are no do overs.

Having someone (a coach, trainer, leader) hold the vision of what is possible lifts us to heights (or rappels us down!) we didn't think possible. sar_girl had it in her all the time. Jim knew that and helped her find it.

Is there something you have always wanted to do but couldn't quite bring yourself to? I bet it is possible. Want to give it a shot?

Tell me about it. I'd love to hear.

Wanda Tucker, Coach

For a free 1/2 hour coaching session with Wanda, send an email to wtuckercoach@comcast.net.

PS - These pictures were taken by sar_girl and friends. Thanks for letting me use them.