Officially scarred

It's official.
She official.
At 11:20 this AM
my daughter officially became an adult.
Where have the last 18 years gone?
Light speed I say!
Or maybe it is warp speed?
What really is the difference?
Could someone please explain that to me?
Whatever the difference--
lets just say it went really
FAST!

For my daughters birthday
we spent the day talking her off the ledge.
Literally!!!
Most of the time you spend talking someone away from the edge--and yet here we were encouraging her to get near it.

(she is the stick person that kinda blends in with the rocks)
She spent many the minute at the edge--looking down.
willing her legs to take that final leap of faith.

I am not saying that she was lacking in faith but her physical fears were much stronger
Her friends

kept

telling her

"Every

one
is
doing
it"

and

for some

reason

that

statement

didn't seem

to help

But then again her friends were going
higher

and higher


and

falling


Farther..






and




Farther..










and





Farther..

and still emerged with a smile--
just to do it a few more times.

Let's face it.
I am glad to know
that she will not follow her friends off a cliff
just cuz "everyone" is doing it.

But i did want her to
face her fears
and be able to defeat them.


Instead
she opted
for a less
intimidating
lower ledge

to leap off of

and found great success in it--

somehow
it was
far less
intimidating
than the
cliff
that was
twice as high

Notice
where
she is at
in relation
to the rest
of the
crazy
teenagers?!
she also ventured off the rock slide.

while still high up
there is something about sliding
that just seems
safer
easier

You don't have to feel your legs shaking as you go off the edge.

She did attempt the higher ledge again
and her friends were patient with her
strangers were patient with her
all were giving her words of encouragement
willing to hold her hand
stand beside her.
Wanting her to succeed.
Wanting to cheer for her...
They were patient...
real patient....
as she would walk to the edge
stand for awhile
and then walk away
only to repeat this process in a few more minutes...
many more times.
After the passing of MUCH time

She finally did take that leap of faith

and is still alive to talk about it

The canyon erupted with loud cheers and clapping.
I am not sure if she will ever do it again.
But i am proud of her
Today and Everyday
But especially proud
for facing those fears
and overcoming them.

Onto the next challenge.....

picking a college
talk about scary