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The Day I Realized I Can’t Control My Death Date
A fall, a broken ankle, and a bear in the Himalayas taught me a lesson I’ll never forget.
On May 7, 2008, I escaped one disaster, then stumbled into a near-fatal encounter.
I was excited as my father had given me a task to visit our orchard, 2,100 meters up in the Himalayas, surrounded by alpine forest.
Seven kilometers from our village, the orchard was reachable by a scenic uphill trail through alpine forest—a journey worth taking.
I set out with strict instructions to take the main path and avoid the shortcut that morning. I was fourteen. I did the opposite. Curiosity overruled caution, and I chose the shortcut, which turned out to be the worst cut.
Hanging on the Rock Face
The shortcut dropped down a scree-covered rock face. It’s gentle for the upper half, then near-vertical before a ravine, just like a sheer wall. The ravine below was dry, choked with boulders and brush.
The rock face stood roughly 150–200 feet high. Halfway down, I realized I couldn’t go farther or climb back. The rock plays tricks, appearing lower than it is, and its gentle upper slope hides the cliff below.
