So, Saturday I attended a small climbing clinic put on by a guy here in Ft. Collins. It was the usual stuff, amputees who had never climbed and me teaching them the small amount I know of our sport. The BIG difference that day was Jim. Jim is not your average climber. In his 60's, a smoker, and in a wheelchair due to the fact he has no legs, he didn't exactly exude confidence as we lifted him onto the climbing gym floor. I couldn't have been more wrong about him. After wrestling a harness onto him, and him watching as the others worked on climbing with they're prosethics, he decided to give it a try. Again, let me say he is in a wheelchair and has no legs..... I tied him in to an overhanging wall, where I explained to him that he could use his knee, and his arms, to do pull ups to gain any height. I figured that he would attempt a pull up, and that would be that. Move on.. Or not. He wheeled over and grabbed on, I took out the slack, then jumped up to give him a bit of an advantage with my body weight, and up he went. I watched in awe, as he pulled himself up the wall and would then stick his stump on the holds below to move up. He climbed about 10 feet and all I could do was belay and stare in shock at his will to move up. When he let go and swung out, I was still so blown away I forgot to lower him as he swung free in the air. You have to picture this man swinging through the air, no legs, hanging on, and very concerned. He brought me back to reality in a loud if not a bit shaky voice, that I should lower him back to his wheelchair. I walked over and clapped him on the back, he told how totally cool that was, and he couldn't believe how tired he was! He also told me he hadn't been out of his chair in a year since the legs he had made hurt him to much. We take a lot for granted in our lives. I know I do everyday, but Jim made me remember how much I love to climb, and love my life. That I get to do these things whenever I want, and for some, it's a one time thing they will remember forever. Just like this life is a one time thing we will remember when we get home. Have fun.