Hola loyal readers, it is time once again for me wax poetically about things that make me happy. Today is a simple mix of a material thing such as a magazine but also the work that goes into it. As some of you know, I too have been affected by this rough economy and I was laid off about a week and a half ago. People tend to find comfort in a variety of ways. After I got off my conference call I went straight to my stack of magazines.
I’ve got quite a stack since I’ve got many interests. Climbing, Bicycling, some car mags (they’re fun to look at and it’s always good to know what’s out there should the need arise), industry mags (which for me is a mix from geeky to artsy and everything in between) and so forth. The first thing I reached for was Climbing magazine. Why do I love Climbing? Well, for starters I started climbing when I was in high school. It was a great escape back then with my friends. We’d head out, go climb for the day and marvel about our accomplishments. Since then I haven’t climbed as much as I’ve wanted to (you know, working my arse off in college, being a “professional” after college, etc). However, I’ve had a subscription to Climbing off and on to keep me in the know, to inspire me, and to be a great escape.
Recently I’ve been feeling the bug to get out there and climb again. For me it’s a great escape. I’m outdoors, I’m overcoming physical obstacles and building mental toughness. It’s exhilarating, calming, fun, a whole myriad of things all at once. I’ve been reading Climbing cover-to-cover for a while now since the bug bit me hard. Remembering how it felt to climb, looking for new places to climb, looking at the pictures, reading great stories of triumph, escaping to other lands as they showcase climbers not only here in the U.S. but also abroad. It’s an international community, we all speak different languages yet share the common bond of the love of the rock (or ice, or wall…). To some, Climbing is just another magazine. To me, it was exactly the escape I needed as I got the call that my company was canceling our program. It reminded me that life isn’t that bad. It reminded me that there obstacles in life and I’ve overcome them before and I can do it again. It took me away to a couple other countries. The pictures made me smile, the stories made me forget where I was.
As if that wasn’t enough, I wrote to Climbing magazine and told them I appreciated what they did for me in a tough time. To my pleasant surprise I got a reply from them thanking me for the kind words. That is the kind of organization I can respect. People that care about the environment but that also take the time out to respect each other. Of course they are busy as they run a magazine but it’s the little things in life that make it so much better.
I hope we may all find our escapes when we need to free our minds and get back on track. I’ve got mine and I’ve also gained a little more faith in humanity as we all go through tough times but manage to look out for each other. Kudos to you Climbing…let’s hope others find you as great of an escape as I have and that they can find the motivation in your stories, pictures, and attitudes on life.
