I remember the first time I tried Rock Climbing. It was only about 10 feet up and it scared me to death. Oh, and I had ropes on.

“Rappel down. Push off the rock with your feet, fall a few feet and brace yourself with  your feet when you swing back into the rock,” my brother encouraged.

“Get me down!” I was terrified. And he did, slowly, as he controlled the ropes.

“Whimp,” he mumbled when I fell apart at the bottom of the 10 foot climb.

“Easy for you to say. You tried to climb The World Trade Center as a kid. Oh, and  you got arrested.” Sadly, The World Trade Center no longer exists, but the Freedom Tower honors the spots where many fell due to the fatal 9/11 terrorist attack.

But there is a climber, much braver than I, who is the first to to have scaled Yosemite National Park’s, El Capitan. 3,000 feet. No ropes. His name is Alex Honnold. He carries a pouch of chalk and not much else.

National Geographic did a story about him and it scares me to read it. But I admire his ability to go so far outside his comfort zone that every step is a challenge with death itself.

I salute you Alex Honnold. A true MISOGI.

*cover photo: www.alexhonnold.com