The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond XXXI

Hailey Alexander
Mariya Timkovsky, Teacher
Lesley Ellis School, Arlington, MA
What courage means to me is being brave and having the ability to do
something even if you’re really scared or even terrified of it. It doesn’t matter
how big or how small the courageous act is, it still matters. During the month
of April, Lesley Ellis hosts afterschool rock climbing. In my first session, I saw
an enormous rock wall. The instructor said that anyone who wanted to climb
it could. I was completely terrified of this wall and never wanted to try it. I
avoided the rock wall for the next couple of sessions, until one week I thought
I was brave enough to try it.
“It also allowed me
to have a little
bit more courage
and faith in myself
when something
scary comes up.”
I went to the large rock climbing wall, looked up, and then walked away,
heading directly towards the walls I normally climb. The following week I
decided to try the large wall again. I was super scared when I arrived, so
I decided to do a warm-up wall before I attempted the one that scared me.
I finished the warm-up, and waited in the short line to climb it.
Once I got to the front of the line, I clipped myself in and started to reach
for the first rock. I was absolutely terrified while climbing up the rock wall. I
often looked down to find myself a few feet higher than when I last checked.
I was extremely frightened of falling once I reached the top, but I was also
very excited and pleased with myself.
If I had never climbed that rock wall, I might not have moved on from smaller
walls. If I hadn’t put my fear aside for this one session, I wouldn’t have as
much fun as I do now climbing the bigger walls with fewer rocks to climb on
and bigger spaces between them. It also allowed me to have a little bit more
courage and faith in myself when something scary comes up.
The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond
Volume XXXI
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