Something To Prove?
2019 Christie at the Monastery in Petra Jordan
We spent the first 2 weeks of February in Israel and Jordan on a pilgrimage with our church family. Each day we had an early breakfast and were usually on the tour bus by 7:30am in order to visit the many sites on the daily itinerary. There was a good deal of walking, as we were told, but nothing overly strenuous given my fitness level and exercise routine.
By the time we visited Masada, I was eager to get a good workout walking up the “Snakepath” that ascended 1,300′ straight up. It would definitely be the road less travelled scenario and I was totally up for it. Alas, our tour guide squashed my plan and I reluctantly joined the others taking the easy way up via cable car. The views from the top were amazing, but I couldn’t help wondering what amazing views I missed on the steep climb.
Only six of our group had signed up for the 4-day extension to Jordan, so we said goodbye to the others and ventured on. A guide with only 6 tourists is likely to be more flexible than one with 34 souls to constantly watch out for. And, so it was with Issam, our Jordanian guide. For our visit to Petra, Issam escorted us into the heart of the site and explained each area’s significance in just enough detail to increase our appreciation of it. Then, we had a full 3 hours on our own!
My plan was instantly formed. I had read about the hike to the area called “the Monastery”. It was the most difficult hiking option and promised to have 800 steps. To my surprise, Christie joined me and we eagerly took off. As billed, it was steep and there were at least 800 steps to the top. There was also a lot of other people going up, so we had plenty of others to call on in case of an emergency.
Some of the 800 steps to the Monastery in Petra, Jordan
It took us precisely 46 minutes to go up and slightly more on the descent because of a fall Christie took on some slick stone. Then we treated ourselves to a donkey ride, so she could rest her ankle and we could hardly wait to tell the others how we’d made the climb.
So, what was I trying to prove? Was it my male ego taking over and trying to show off? Was I trying to turn a hike into a competition? Not really. I just feel I have something to prove. You see, it’s always in the back of my mind that I need to push myself. I’m compelled to take on something that tests my stamina. Why? Because it’s always on my mind that I have this incurable and progressive disease. A disease that drives me to fight back and keep doing the strenuous activities of an earlier time in my life. And, I want to prove to myself that a Parkinson’s diagnosis isn’t the end of my time for being physically active. It should actually be a new beginning.
Richard Beattie
February 24, 2019
Greenwood, Mississippi
