Acrophobia

My heart always was known to be weak. With an annual check up, I see several and different doctors but they never miss a sentence, "You have a weak heart." It is not a pleasing thing to hear, especially repeatedly. However, I had to hear that sentence year after year. 

There was no way I could possibly work on myself to fix or even to attempt to fix the problem, just till this month. This exact month of 2011, my father and I made a promise to ourselves to climb a mountain each weekend. Starting a new life in Korea living with my family, without distance matter, in six years, that was another change I faced. 

To climb a mountain each week. There were two thoughts inside me. One, 'Mmm. It could be fun. Especially with dad and mum' and the other, 'Gosh. How am I going to climb mountain each week!' But we all knew, it was the best for me and for us, as a family. We not only found a way to help my heart get stronger but to spend more time as a family. It was a win-win. 

Sunday, March 13. The first day I climbed mountain. It was a small mountain called, Mt. Woo-sung-e, only 20 minutes, walking distance, away from our house. I put on my brand new shoes, specially bought for mountain climbing, and walked towards the mountain and to the top. Knowing how tough the climb was for me through sound of each breath, my father suggested only to go to Mt. Hwa-bong, mountain within Mt. Woo-sung-e. 

Then there was a big barrier waiting for me. 

An endless stairs up high to the top. With a big sigh, I continued to take a step after step. 

Finally, we climbed all those stairs and was on top. Drinking ginseng juice and cucumbers we breathed in fresh air and looked around. We were able to see our house, the little apartments gathered left side of the picture below.

The feelings I had at that time is not describable but it was definitely a unforgettable feeling to have. It was not just a 'climbing a mountain' to me. It was a climbing a mountain with dad, chatting and sharing our thoughts and views. 

The best moment I had while climbing was the time I was coming down the stairs and sharing how my heart-beats getting fast on top of mountain with a fear of height. My dad and I always had lots of similarities and that moment, he mentioned how he used to fear the height. He told me to overcome the fear and that there is nothing scarier than a human being in the world. I logically understood what he meant, but emotionally, my heart was still palpitating and mind was rapidly telling how I should hold onto the ground. On the way of coming down those steep stairs, his hand and my hand were tightly held.