You literally trust your whole life to the belayer, the person standing on tierra firma and holding the other end of the rope. In August 1999, I went on vacation with Christian Adventures to the Maine wilderness. My greatest challenge was rock climbing an 80' wall for the first time ever. Fear of abandonment, of being completely helpless and alone welled up in me. Of course the fears I had above weren't logical.
Rock climbing is pretty safe.
Someplace high on the wall, I couldn't find fingerholds. I kept searching for cracks, for handholds, something to grab onto. I frantically kept moving my arms, looking for someplace to stick my fingertips. Click the image to view a larger shot of the climber. Contact Brian D. Reed for more information on the photograph.