So here I am. January 1st, 2016. Last year, I never could have imagined I would be sitting in a new apartment in Denver, about to start a new job, and yet. I moved here to get a new start. To be able to become more myself than I have ever been. To be able to live a Dauntless life. And today, it began.
I remember my cousin Jason talking about the Lyons Polar Bear Club, and their annual New Year's plunge, in years past. It had always sounded like fun, and I wanted to participate, but since I lived 1,000 miles away, it wasn't really realistic. But now that I live all of 65 minutes away, I decided to finally do it. And when it comes to it, jumping off of rocks into a mountain-fed river that has a ton of ice on it, in 30 degree weather, is an entirely Dauntless activity.
I got to Jason's house, ready to take the plunge. Everyone kept asking me if I had PPA: Pre-Plunge Anxiety. I said no, not even close. I was ready. So very ready. Ready to do something I had never done before, and start the year off differently, and in a new place, with new people. We piled into the bus (yes, they have a party bus- for real!), and headed out to Black Bear Hole. I was ready, with my fuzzy robe on, borrowed river shoes, swim suit (which is already too big for me, despite the top being new!), and wool hat.
We arrived at the river, and there were already dozens of people there- both to jump and to watch. The media was there from Lyons, Boulder, and Denver as well. I've been in town 3 weeks, and I've already been interviewed by the news media. John, one of the founding members, climbed up onto some rocks, and along with some other inspiring words, shouted, "Polar Bears, let me hear you ROAR!" And along with who knows how many other people, I answered back with a huge "ROAR!"
Then the jumping began. People started jumping into the river, one or two at a time, with a big jump and a lot of screams and whoops. I followed Jason and Sarah, and with a single leap, plunged myself into the icy river. The water was freezing, and approximately 4.5 feet deep or so. I swam to the bank, and a man with a light saber helped me climb up the rocky embankment, about 5 or 6 feet up. The experience was absolutely exhilarating. I grabbed my phone and took a picture with my cousin, Sarah, to document the post-plunge moment.
I remember my cousin Jason talking about the Lyons Polar Bear Club, and their annual New Year's plunge, in years past. It had always sounded like fun, and I wanted to participate, but since I lived 1,000 miles away, it wasn't really realistic. But now that I live all of 65 minutes away, I decided to finally do it. And when it comes to it, jumping off of rocks into a mountain-fed river that has a ton of ice on it, in 30 degree weather, is an entirely Dauntless activity.
I got to Jason's house, ready to take the plunge. Everyone kept asking me if I had PPA: Pre-Plunge Anxiety. I said no, not even close. I was ready. So very ready. Ready to do something I had never done before, and start the year off differently, and in a new place, with new people. We piled into the bus (yes, they have a party bus- for real!), and headed out to Black Bear Hole. I was ready, with my fuzzy robe on, borrowed river shoes, swim suit (which is already too big for me, despite the top being new!), and wool hat.
We arrived at the river, and there were already dozens of people there- both to jump and to watch. The media was there from Lyons, Boulder, and Denver as well. I've been in town 3 weeks, and I've already been interviewed by the news media. John, one of the founding members, climbed up onto some rocks, and along with some other inspiring words, shouted, "Polar Bears, let me hear you ROAR!" And along with who knows how many other people, I answered back with a huge "ROAR!"
Then the jumping began. People started jumping into the river, one or two at a time, with a big jump and a lot of screams and whoops. I followed Jason and Sarah, and with a single leap, plunged myself into the icy river. The water was freezing, and approximately 4.5 feet deep or so. I swam to the bank, and a man with a light saber helped me climb up the rocky embankment, about 5 or 6 feet up. The experience was absolutely exhilarating. I grabbed my phone and took a picture with my cousin, Sarah, to document the post-plunge moment.
I dried myself off, and warmed up in my fuzzy white robe. After a few minutes, we all piled back onto the bus and headed back out to Jason and Sarah's, where way more of us than I thought possible, shoved ourselves into the hot tub. I think we had 14 in there at one point. Jason claimed we could fit 24 in there, but I don't think I believe him. There was a lot of getting up close and personal with a lot of people I don't know very well- or at all. It was definitely a stretching experience...but good.
I finally extracted myself from the hot tub and jumped in the shower, then headed home. As I drove, I thought about what a big deal it is that I even did any of that. Eleven years ago, though I was 21, I never would have been allowed to do anything like this. It would have been considered "worldly," "unwholesome," "unladylike," and downright "ungodly." But honestly, I think this was one of the best experiences I have ever had. I may have been the undisputed goody-two-shoes of the group I was with, but you know what? It's not about what people like to do in their free time, or what they think about various social or religious issues, and it's not about where they fall on the political spectrum. It's about who they encourage you to be, or to become. They all encouraged me to be brave, and to jump. At the end of the day, we don't grow by sitting around in our safe little insulated cocoons, surrounded by people who share our opinions and "values" and ideas of what people should or shouldn't be. We grow by getting outside of those safe comfort zones, around people with vastly different backgrounds and ideals, who challenge your ideas of how to live. None of them care how similar to or different from them I am. None of them care if I *am* a total goody-two-shoes. None of them care about...well...a LOT of things. What they do care about is how I grow as a person. How I learn to be brave, and free, and live life to the fullest.
And so, I sit here, and prepare for a new life, and a new year, filled with unknowns and possibilities. I don't know much, but I do know that I will be there again next year, on January 1st, 2017. Maybe I will have someone special there to jump with me, maybe I won't. Maybe I'll have a friend join me, maybe I'll jump alone again. But I do know one thing: come hell or high (or frozen) water, I will be jumping into Black Bear Hole again next year. Maybe I'll be celebrating the beginning of another amazing year, after the conclusion of my best year yet. I hope so. Or maybe I'll be celebrating another year, and another chance.
We'll see how things pan out in 2016. But I do know that this is the year of my biggest leap ever. Not the jump into the freezing river, but the jump into a totally new life. A new place, a new home, a new state, a totally new job in a new field, new people, new experiences. And I hope, a year filled with friends coming to visit me (Taylor, Cedric, Ryan, Moriah...and others!), and making new friends.
This sounds like so much fun! I have no clue where I will be this time next year but if I am anywhere close I will go with you. I used to love swimming in the freezing streams in the Sierra Nevadas
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