If you are afraid of heights, then you are not going to be pressing your face up against the window of the 67th floor of the Willis Tower. Well heights don’t bother me, so here I am pushing my face against the cold glass straining to look around the corner of the building. What am I looking for? My house of course. I do this when flying into Chicago or in a skyscraper. There is comfort knowing that I live somewhere over there.
Below me are 2,000 people stretching and adjusting their ear pods as they prepare to climb up the 2,109 steps of the Willis Tower. This climb of 103 floors is for the Sky Rise Chicago Tower Up benefiting the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
My job is easy today compared to the people striving to complete this grueling, accelerating race to the top of Willis Tower. Hours spent preparing, planning and working to be your best. I understand their feeling.
Climbing to the top is a struggle. You could just take the elevator and get to the top in minutes, but you lose the feeling of achievement. Accomplishing a goal is breathtaking and those who choose to climb one-step at a time, grows with each step.
Yet, this was not my challenge. My challenge was to entertain these stair warriors after the climb. I took an elevator to the 66th floor, followed by an escalator to the 67th floor.
This was the second year for me seeing people hike up 103 floors. Each one wore a smile as they entered the room. The look of accomplishment showed brightly over their faces. Their enthusiasm was contagious, because I found myself giving that extra effort to go one-step farther.
To all who reached the 103rd floor congratulations. For those who fell short. Do not worry; you are only steps away from reaching your goal. For those who want me to twist balloons while climbing 2,109 stairs… let us just say, “I’ll see you next year”.