Restartup

CHAPTER 3Be Your Own Shrink

The fault … is not in our stars,

But in our ourselves …

William Shakespeare Julius Caesar

Introduction

In summer 2018, we went on a family vacation to Washington, DC. We stayed at my brother-in-law's place at Fairfax, Virginia. We had five families with kids staying there under one roof for more than five days. Tired of coping with the energy levels of the kids, we decided to try some outdoor activity. The choice was to go on a hike to the Great Falls, which offered a hiking trail that ran parallel to the flow of water.

It was a sunny day and I was pretty thrilled with the scenic water flow near us. During our hike, I took a little diversion from the rest of the family because I wanted to get closer to the water. In my excitement, I hadn't realised how steep the fall I managed to traverse was. I got to the water, enjoyed the experience, took some pictures and spent a few quiet minutes there. It was time to join the family on the main hike track.

I looked up and saw that I had a vertical climb to get back to them. I started worrying that the sun would set before I got back to my family. My wife was up there with our two- and five-year-old daughters. I would get a royal slap on my wrist for attempting such a foolish adventure if I didn't get there on time or if I got injured doing so.

I convinced myself that I should stop worrying and just focus on the next step. I started moving without looking too far ahead. Honestly, it wasn't that hard an exercise ...