Can I Still Climb?

I don’t know why the sudden thought about going trekking at Kota Kinabalu came to my mind while I was bathing tonight. I guess I do miss the adventure that I shared with some of the Young Adults that went along to this expedition trip.

For most of us, it was our first time trekking an over 4,000m high mountain… & I enjoyed the camaraderie that we shared during the initial months of training & especially during the actual trip itself. I’m thankful to have gotten to know Liliang, Elaine, Ann, William, Jonathan, etc. I seriously missed those times back last year. How I wished that I could spare like $100+ to print out all those nice photographs taken at the trip there.

Then the next thought came to my mind – would I still be able to go for such climbing trips once I’m married? Right at that moment, floods of thoughts surged into my mind, as I pondered about them over the next few minutes of my bath.

Questions like – is it right to leave my wife alone at home, if she’s afraid or not interested in going mountain trekking with me? Of coz, it would be great if both of us could go together, but what if she’s not keen? Or what if her parents are not keen? Would they think that I’m an irresponsible husband to go climbing on my own, leaving her alone at home? Or would they think that I’m not concerned for her safety, by asking her along to this trip? How much would her parents still control her even after marriage?

Then I started to reason to myself – well, maybe if we do not have a baby to look after, then it isn’t too bad. But once we have a baby to care for, then it would be totally irresponsible of me to go for this trip alone, leaving her with the baby, which needs a few years to grow up, which means I can’t go climbing for those few years. But does this sport really mean a lot to me? Not really, but I do like & appreciate the occasional activity & challenge of something like this… especially when it allows me to bond with my fellow Young Adult friends.

The next thought came to my mind – would it be possible that I could bring my family along to such a trip? Of course, when the kids grow up lah… then it would be like Jonathan, Uncle Chee Seng & family going to climb KK together. I think it would be so fun & would certainly bond the family together! But would they want to do this? What if they are not interested? Should a father go for such a rare occasional trip like this, even though his children are old enough to take care of themselves? Would it be fair to my wife?

Hmm… there are so many questions… & so few answers… but I guess I’ll take it when the time comes. Marriage will certainly change my life, I know it… which can be both good & bad at the same time, depending on how I look at it. Hopefully, there would be more good than bad…