So I havnt finished it yet, but I'm watching the documentary "Free Solo". If you havnt seen it I highly recommend it, even if I'm 59 minutes in. However, its at this point of the film that his gf is talking to him in the van and it blew me away.

Some groundwork may be beneficial here. If you don't know what free soloing is, its rock climbing, without the ropes. You against the mountain, no safety net. This documentary is about a guy that soloed El Capitan. It looks intense as all hell. Buddy has this gf that just gave him her number at a random book signing. Just straight up cold numbered him with a peice of paper because rock climber ooo dangerous. Anyways, she's already caused him to fall once. She does not seem particularly healthy for the mindset he needs.

Speaking of mindset, the past hour of this film has been them really trying to instill the seriousness of what he's about to attempt, and how important his focus is. Over and over its mentioned. Yet, the day before he attempts the climbs she's talking to him in the van. Saying things like "When you solo, I want you to take me into that equation", among other things. Basically saying she wants him to think about her when he's attempting this hyper dangerous climb where any misstep is certain death. All I could think about was hows she was so focused on how he feels about her that she wanted to make sure he was thinking of her instead of thinking about what he's doing 2000ft in the air hanging off a granite cliff with no rope.

This got me thinking, and the thought that occured to me is what caused me to pause the amazing film and come post it here. In life, we reach for our goals. It gives meaning to our time here. Allowing a woman or anyone else for that matter to interfere with your path towards those goals is one of the greatest disservices I think we can to do them. Aside from giving them up because they're too hard, giving them up because someone else asked us to is a sin. Particularly when they're asking you to make THEM your goal. "Give up your dreams and focus more of your effort on us". The selfishness required is astounding, an almost complete lack of self awareness coupled with a burgeoning sense of self importance. There is more I'd like to say, rattling around in this head of mine, but I really want to get back to my movie. Again, its called Free Solo. Check it out!

I will leave you all with this tl:dr of wisdom, if I may be so bold.

Never let anyone turn you from your path. Never let anyone diminish the heights of your ambition for their own needs. Not a woman, not anyone.