BJ Holman
Copyright 2001
When I was 41, I was over weight, very insecure, scared I would not be able to do the work, but desperate enough to survive that I would do anything.
My supervisor at the time was one of those brilliant women who challenged everyone to give their 100%. She was trained in adventure-based experiences. The team agreed to go for this thing called a GIC (Group Interaction Course). There was Helen, a Vista Volunteer and a graduate student, Gerard, a doctoral student, Julian, a skinny high school kid, Judy, the supervisor, who was a tiny runner -- lean and small, Phil, the instructor, such a love, and finally this overweight, scared to death, deaf, woman who was trying to survive the loss from going deaf overnight.
The commitment we had to make was to give our 100% and we were the only ones who knew what our 100% meant. So we could stop at anytime that we felt we had given what we could give. The whole experience is to help a team learn to work together to reach goals. There are around 10 different activities that are presented to the group. As the activities progress the harder they become.
This course was outside in the woods. By the time I arrived at challenge number 10, my energy was almost gone. I was deaf, and without hearing aids, with young hearing people. Talk about having to learn to communicate in different ways.
We had worked hard together during the first nine tasks, and developed as a team and....we walked up to number 10. Choot and other words, as we rounded the curve, there in front of me was a flat 12 foot wall. There was no rope, ladder, hand and foot holds, just a flat wall, which was secured behind and with a very narrow plank at the top to stand on once you got over the wall.
"What the hell, you mean I have to go over that damn wall?" I heard myself scream, even deaf I heard that one. "I think I have given my 100% just through the other 9." Phil said, "Just think about it and the team is going to do the work together."
Now, these kids were not the greatest athletes in the world, but were willing to give it a try. I am sweating bullets, 40 lbs overweight, very poor balance, and scared s........ After many discussions about how to get the first person over and then what to do next, I just prayed that my neck would not break in the fall I was surely going to experience.
A decision was made on the order of what must have been the 10th try to do this feat. We had tried different approaches to get all the team over. We were just about to decide we couldn't do it and then, well, just one more try. G stands on J's shoulders as the rest of us give support. He stretches and pulls himself up and over the wall. Then Helen was next and we lifted as Gerard pulled. Wow, those two finally got over.
The decision was for me to go next....oh, choot, help me....Gerard leant over that wall and stretched his hand out to me....I looked him in the eye and we began. I jumped as high as I could, while Judy and Julian were ready to lend support as soon as I had his hand.
Now, remember, a 12 foot wall and I was overweight and he was not a big man. After about the 4th jump, his hand and mine meet. As he pulled, I began to climb that wall. I know J and J were under me supporting and probably pushing but something bigger than them helped me walk up that wall. At the top Gerard pulled, his eyes telling me what to do. I got to the top and had to cross over to the other side. My energy was gone, and I couldn't seem to get balanced well enough to stand on the tiny 2 by 2 piece of wood. I don't know how he did it but somehow Gerard pulled me on that piece of narrow wood, kept his body between me and the ground 12 feet down. I slid over the top and he just held me into place with his body.
I started on a diet the next day and knocked off those 40 pounds. I learned a lot that day about what can happen when we work as a team and do what is really our 100%.
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