Taking Risks....

So this is us. On Mt. Etna. Europe's most active volcano.

Our excursion to Mt. Etna proved to be a big moment in my life. You see, I am somewhat afraid of heights. And definitely afraid of heights with no railings.

As we started to climb this monument, I thought I was going to die. I don't think anyone could blame me-- if you slipped, you were done. As funny as that sounds now, it was certainly not amusing at the time.

Overcoming this fear was no easy task for me, especially when other people were even more frightened and turned to Mama Tooch for help. So, I put up the best front that I could and reassured everyone that, no, we were not going to die. My reassuring them actually helped me more than the others! I knew that all of us couldn't be scared, so I used their nerves to conquer my own. Pretty soon, I was laughing and running and feeling completely liberated, which is what the volcano was supposed to make you feel. I felt small, yet huge at the same time. What a rush!

After climbing this mountain, I felt so proud. Proud of overcoming my fears, proud of accomplishing this not-so-easy task, and proud for lending a helping hand to my friends.