The Wave of Opportunity

There are things we decide to do, and then there are things that decide what we do. In this life we have boundless options, the possibility to create anything of ourselves, so why do we choose the path that we do? Is it money? Tradition? Or is it the simplest or easiest choice? Every fork in the road that we meet we weigh our options, consider the pro’s and con’s, and hope like hell we make the right choice.
I’ve recently made a choice in my life. When faced with the vast ocean of opportunity we all experience, I looked upon a particular wave. A mere ripple in the grand workings of the human experience, rock climbing took to me as I took to it. Though I have been climbing for many years now at this stage of my life I’ve decided to take a leap and make the first steps to making a life on the rock. The road to becoming a climbing guide is a long, difficult, process however it’s the one I’ve chosen. To become certified by the ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides) one has to pass three courses held by Thompson Rivers University. The first is called Guide Training Rock, it’s only eight days but it’s the first step to making the dream come true. The requirements to get into Guide Training Rock are beyond my current capabilities, by quite a bit. Discovering how far off I was from just getting into the entry level course was painful, but sometimes you need a reality check. I had two options: find another dream, or make a plan. So, for the love of a challenge, I made a plan.
I’ve decided to spend a summer building the skills and experience I need to take this course next year. What this means for me is a move to Penticton, B.C. where Skaha Bluffs are located. Skaha bluffs is one of the largest climbing areas in Canada and houses superior rock for climbing. As opposed to the limestone cliffs I climbed in Alberta which crumble and break, the granite of Skaha is incredibly durable and forms fantastic climbing surfaces and cracks. Here is where I’ll start what I like to call an “informal internship” where I learn all the different techniques and skills I need to know. Helping me on my way are some kind friends from Calgary, one of which is well known for developing the Ghost River climbing area of Alberta and another is a woman very much like me, with an insatiable love of the outdoors.
When making decisions it can be hard to consider all factors, family, love, wealth, success, and many more. I have chosen to let climbing chose for me, to follow the best rock with the best chance of teaching me what I need to know. This has come at a cost. I have wandered far from my family and all friends, let relationships go, and sacrificed all of the wealth I’ve accumulated in the pursuit of this goal. Some would call me crazy, I wouldn’t even argue. I’ve largely given up a conventional lifestyle in exchange for a difficult process with an end goal that for many seems unworthy of the effort. However, one thing that I am most certain of in life is that the process is more valuable than the product. If ever I were to be remembered as saying anything, it is that success is the culmination of focussed efforts resulting in happiness. That, is one truth that I wish to never let go of.
For those of you trying something new, making big decisions or even just completely lost as to what you should do with your life remember; In this sea of boundless opportunity, pick a wave and ride it.