CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN

Edward Whymper was a mountaineer.

Not only did he climb mountains, he wrote a book about it. There were two things he had to say about his experiences and observations. that reminded me of some of the climbing we have to do on these lower levels. For there is a sense in which the ascent from uncontroled addiction to a higher pinnacle of recovered health qualifies as real, strenuous mountain climbing.

One thing Mr. Whymper said was this: When a mountain climbing party sets out to scale a peak, they do not leave each person to go it alone. A rope is tied around the waist of the first and the second and so on, so that they are all linked together. Thus, if one foot slips, that person does not crash to the rocks below. The others who still have a foothold steady him until he can start climbing again.

Needless to say, when one man loses his foothold it is an unnerving experience for them all, not least for the weaker climbers. They really can do little to help the unfortunate one except to cling to their own precarious toehold for dear life. It is at such a time that they need so much the steadying reassurance of the experienced climber. He will make sure that they all take time to get settled before beginning the ascent again. Never would he think of asking one of the weaker climbers to scramble over to where the unfortunate one is dangling to help him regain his hold. This is a job for the expert on the slopes.

The second observation Mr. Whymper made was that most of the serious accidents occur in the easy places. When they begin the climb, or when they reach a part of the mountain face that seems to defy their effort, every climber is alert, every precaution is taken and no move is made that would increase the danger.

But when they reach an easy stretch muscles relax. They pause and look around at the distant slopes. They may even untie the rope that links each on to the rest of the group. And that, says Mr. Whymper, is when more tragedies occur than at any other time. Vigilance is relaxed. There is a feeling, especially on the part of the novice climber, We've got it made". The easier path deceives the person into believing that the danger is all past.

Unwittingly, Mr. Whymper has provided us with a parable for continuing therapy that needs no interpretation.

DR. GEORGE BIRTCH

DON SAYS; This is a great way of showing what the recovering alcoholic faces early on in his quest to overcome his addiction. The easiest times are the most dangerous! I can remember coping with with my inability to recognize that I could not fall back into my old ways just because I was suddenly getting everything right. All the good things would fall into place, and in my mind I would think, I have got this beaten now, why not just a little drink to celebrate what I had done? Bad and destructive thinking!

Fortunately at this point I could fall back on the fact that I was full of antabuse, and if I took a drink I would flush, possibly go into convulsions, have an elevated heart rate, which would all scare the hell out of me? It was than that I thanked God for antabuse, it saved my life many times over.