Don’t Let Fear Stop You in Your Tracks

Two years ago, while hunting for whitetails in Idaho, I decided to pursue a monster buck my

husband had seen the previous weekend. The only catch: the five train trestles between me and

my quarry, and I was terrified of heights. The mere thought of crossing the ancient wooden

trestles put a knot in my stomach. The gaps between the ties were wide enough for my feet to

fall through should I make a single misstep.

…

I felt my heart racing in my chest and my legs turning to Jello as I stood before the

snow-covered train trestle that spanned the raging creek and icy boulders far below. After

surveying the situation and realizing there was no way to get to the buck’s hideout without

crossing the trestles, I gritted my teeth and took a tentative step onto the first trestle. Trying to

block out the vision of my body plunging to its death through the wide gaps between the

railroad ties, I focused my thoughts on the giant buck. Taking a deep breath and gripping my

rifle tightly in my sweaty palms, I took another careful step onto the next railroad tie. I forced

myself to keep putting one foot in front of the other until, after what seemed like an eternity, I

triumphantly stepped onto solid ground once again. One trestle down, four to go!

…

I conquered the next three trestles without losing my nerve and it was with a renewed sense of

confidence that I approached the fifth and final trestle. But to my dismay I realized that it was

the longest and tallest trestle yet. Looking down at my feet, the gaps between ties appeared

even farther apart than they were on the earlier trestles and I envisioned myself crashing to my

death even as I stood there, trying to decide what to do. I chickened out.

…

Feeling defeated, I turned back in the direction I had come. As I approached the last trestle I

had crossed, I realized I had to confront this ridiculous fear. I could not let these trestles defeat

me and keep me from my trophy buck! So I turned around and headed back to face my

nemesis. When I found myself once again looking across the trestle’s long span, I told myself

“Just breathe! You can do this” and stepped semi-confidently onto the trestle’s first tie….

…

As it turned out, I did see a couple of nice bucks but didn’t take one that day. However, I took

home a greater prize from that hunt: I triumphed over my fear by not letting it keep me from

doing something I love!

…

Since that day, I have crossed many trestles and with each one, my level of anxiety has gone

down significantly. Last fall, I went a step further and hunted for the first time from a tree stand

with a level of comfort and confidence I never thought possible. I have indeed conquered my

fear of heights, thanks to the sport that continues to give me so much more than meat in my

freezer!

Feb 27, 2013 | Category: Blog | Comments: 2

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