Emergency Blocks

He was urgently signaling to me to slow down. I desperately wanted to slow down but every time I’d connect my gloved hand with the cable above my head the friction would jerk my arm and shoulder backwards turning me side-wise, at which point my legs would flail wildly trying to right myself to a forward position.

My speed was probably close to, perhaps even over, 30 mph and spinning around in this harness 60+ feet off the ground was not my idea of fun. I was coming into the platform way to fast. I was going to hit the emergency break block. I gripped the line trolley with both hands and waited. The break block is an effective tool and my stop was sudden and somewhat painful. But I was on the platform, shaky but smiling and trying to explain the malfunction to my zip line tour guide.

It was frustrating. I like to do things right, I like to be a quick study and I enjoy challenging myself with acquiring new skills rapidly. Unfortunately, I was obviously not doing this braking business right. The guides and I discussed the issues I was having, they gave me some pointers to try on the next line and away we went.  There were five other people on the tour, not including the two guides. I was the only one having braking issues. We changed gloves. We tried multiple techniques. Over nine zip lines they had to run the emergency block out for me on five of them. I’m thinking this was a message from Hashem for me.

Half way through the tour I was getting discouraged and physically sore from hitting those blocks. I was unable to enjoy the views or experience because I became so focused on the end of each line and the same scene I would see repeatedly – Frantic signals to slow down, arm being jerked behind me, spinning and righting myself on the line, then SMACK! Into the emergency block.

Despite the braking issues, I did enjoy myself and it was wonderful to be on a date with my husband – in all we ran the 9 zip lines going over a mile and half through the air from tree to tree. We crossed two rope sky bridges and completed two free-fall rappels. It was an amazing experience. However, it was not the experience I was expecting. I expected to be naturally good at it. I expected it to be issue-free. I expected to be taking in views as I glided carefree through the air waving with one hand and striking a cute pose for the camera like you see in all the pictures. The experience definitely did not live up to my expectations – instead it exceeded them on a whole other level.

That emergency block I kept slamming into was painful physically and it reminded me of the emotional pain I feel when a proverbial door gets slammed in my face – when Hashem firmly and lovingly tells me to stop going a direction I’ve made my mind up to go.

Just like I had the proper gear, training and guides to safely fly the zip lines, so too has Hashem provided me with everything I need to analyze my choices and path selections (personal prayer, Torah, and my Spiritual guide) before embarking. However, just like with zip lining, I tend to “gloss over” the technical aspects and just assume I’m going to be “good at it”… do I really need to practice stopping on the kiddy line? How hard can it be, really? Do I really need to spend an hour a day in personal prayer? Do I really need to check in with Hashem on every little decision I make? I learned this day, the answer is yes, yes I do.

And just like my zip tour guides, Hashem signals me that I’m doing something wrong, that I need to stop of my own choice. But, man, flying through life can sure be exhilarating! There are always opportunities full of interesting sights and diversions – things much more exciting than making sure my home is clean and meals are planned and all of the other mundane tasks I’m responsible for.

Even though I see Him signaling me to stop I’m often going too fast down the wrong path so then Hashem is forced to throw out the emergency block (i.e. slams the door shut to that option I’m barreling toward) because He loves me and knows that the choice I’ve made in this path isn’t for the best.

Let me tell you, more than once I’ve chose to hit a block Hashem has put up full on – thinking I can just “be determined” and that I’ll move the block instead of the block stopping me. After this zip line adventure – I’m much more thankful for those emergency break blocks… the literal ones on the zip line and the very real ones Hashem put’s in my life to help me adjust my course when I’m on the wrong track. With Hashem’s help, I’ll begin to get a little more sensitive to the warning signals so he doesn’t have to pull out the emergency brake block so often.

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Jennifer invites you to participate in a regularly held Noahide on-line study group that reviews the garden series books of Rabbi Arush. You can contact her at jenniferjwoodward@gmail.com to be added to the weekly newsletter for dates and times. Visit the blog at noahidenews.blogspot.com