The fall from a place you are not prepared to stand is more damaging than the stress of a climb you are not prepared to make.

Each day I see people who ‘transport’ themselves to realms and heights that they and most others only dream of. They seemingly bypass those others who are dedicated to the climb (and not the selfie from the summit). They look with concern as the climbers fall. They feel nothing as some who fall resume their ascent or as others who have fallen remain down.

They are not connected to the process of climbing – to the process of strengthening their minds and their muscles by climbing. And they feel great satisfaction to be airlifted to a place few others ever get to see.

And then they fall. No harness. No training to cope with the fear of falling or how to grab hold of the ropes and cams left behind for just that reason.

Everyone descends their mountain; you can’t stay there forever. You can either take the same route down that you took on the way up or you drop at 32 feet per second squared.