Your fingers are frozen, tightly gripping your ice axes as you kick your crampons in, trying to get a better foothold. The air temperature is a brisk -25° Celsius, and the wind is howling all around you, blowing snow in your face. You look beneath you at the last ice screw you installed, hoping it will do its job and catch you if you fall. After all, it's just a small piece of metal screwed into some frozen water. You pause to catch your breath and take a look around.
The setting is harsh, but incredibly beautiful. You’re situated on the side of a cliff, in a valley, with mountains on either side. The sublime, glistening blue ice you are hanging from is ever changing. The melting and freezing of the water creates magnificent pillars, which cling to the rock beneath them. There’s something undeniably special about climbing something that’s temporary and unique. Being there in that abrasive but awe-inspiring environment in that particular moment on that particular day.
Ice climbing is very much a mental battle. The cold, the exposure, the pain. If you push through and get to the top of a hard climb, it is a truly rewarding experience.
It is a great metaphor for life. Perseverance will pay off. It is a marathon, not a sprint. You must overcome hardships, endure many failures, and push forward. Even when things seem dark and hopeless. If you stick to the path, tiny incremental steps each and every day will eventually be rewarded. There is always a way to get to where you’re going and reach your goals.
