Why every couple should rock climb before getting married*

I love rock climbing.  It's exciting, technical and can be dangerous if done the wrong way.  After a recent trip to a climbing gym in Evansville with my girlfriend, Meg, we realized there are some very important reasons why every couple should climb before taking the plunge (no pun intended... ok maybe) into marriage. 

- Rock climbing requires trust.  It's tough to forget the fact that you're climbing a 50 foot wall straight up.  Humans weren't designed to be able to scale walls.  However with a lot of rope and a snug harness around your hips and waist I'm willing to overcome the urge to hug the safe ground and climb on!  The element of trust comes in when your partner (in my case Meg) belays you.  She was responsible for making sure if I suddenly stopped being one with the wall that I would not become one with the ground very soon there after.  When I made it to the top, it then took even more trust to lean back into thin air and let her lower away.  

- Rock climbing requires communication.  When you're 20 feet in the air, you want your partner to communicate what your situation looks like.  "Move to your left."  "There's a hold up and to your right."  "No, your other right!"  Without the proper communication, a lot of encouragement and a voice that projects, there would have been several walls that we would have not been able to climb.  Even with communication there still were several walls that we were unable to climb.  Note the picture of the wall with a large over-hang.  I will conquer that wall.   

- Rock climbing isn't always easy.  Sometimes you fall, other times you're too weak and tired to climb anymore.  Sometimes that weakness kicks in when you're six feet from the top and the only hand hold left in your path requires you to do a pull up with your index finger.  That's when you fight through the tough times and finish the route!

*Disclaimer: This post in no way insinuates our eagerness for marriage or that it will take place anytime in the next six months. 

**The pictures posted in this blog were taken on my cell phone camera at 'Vertical Excape' in Evansville.  If you'd ever like to go, let me know! :-D