it's so zen

i've been thinking a bit lately about why i climb, why other people climb, why i'm blogging about it all, and whether it all matters.

while i don't have any profound answers at this point, ive decided to blog a bit less about my activities and "results" and a bit more about the why.

i asked my friend alex today: "why do you climb?" she responded, "because it's zen." she went on to explain that as a young rower there was nothing that induced a state of meditation for her like rowing. climbing, similarly, invokes for her a sense of centering and focus that she hasnt found in other activities. "when im up there, nothing else matters."

i'm finding that too. climbing is oddly spiritual and, as alex suggested, feels "zen." it's also highly addictive. drug-like if you will. but is that an end? does climbing's intensity, its call for commitment, its tribe/religious like attributes, etc. trivialize things that might be or should be more important?

i dont have an answer, but im definitely curious to explore the question. until then, i'll keep climbing.