This is the question this student asked me at the Aspiring Mountaineers Program on top of the abseiling tower at Safra last sunday.

I answered her almost instantaneously. My answer was that I think fear keeps us alive in precarious situations.

It’s fear that reminds me to double check my knots, that my prussiks are clipped in, that my figure of eight is clipped in all the time so it doesn’t fall off. It’s fear that prevents me from doing any daredevil stunts and it’s fear that keeps us moving, the fear of not making it to the next camp in time, of not having enough food, water, oxygen.

However, I did also mention that although its inevitable to be scared, it shouldn’t handicapp us. and to do that , one simply acknowledges the fear, attempt to think rationally and find the ‘daring’ in us to forge on….

I don’t think I plagiarized this from anywhere but I remain astounded that I concocted this genuinely sincere answer that makes so much sense at a snap.