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Do you know what it feels like to be on top of the world? Although not many of us do, there are about 300 brave human beings who can say they have done so successfully. Mt. Everest, which boarders Nepal and Tibet, is the highest mountain in the world. It towers over the world at 29,035 feet and never fails to intimidate. Everest is also referred to as the goddess of the sky and the mother goddess of the earth. The first ascent took place in May of 1953 and was achieved by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.

More recently, on May 23, 2008, a team of 11 men and 9 Sherpa reached the summit. Out of the 20 successful climbers, 8 of them reached the summit for their first time. As of now, about 4,000 climbers have attempted to climb Everest and about 600 have achieved the ultimate goal of summiting.

There is a large array of individuals who decide to take on an expedition such as this. Climbers have ranged in age from 15 to 64. Imagine a 15 year old, just entering his or her first year of high school, deciding to climb the highest mountain in the world! It is truly unbelievable that someone as young as that would have the courage to take on Everest. Summiting the highest mountain in the world is more than just the physical climb. It means more than that to those who do it. It is spiritually, mentally and emotionally rewarding. To those who accomplish this, they feel that their life has been completed by this brave expedition. It's time to ask yourself, how would it feel to be on top of the world?

Nervously awaiting the climb, I sat fully strapped and ready to go. The tight harness around my waist added to the churning feeling inside my stomach. Being afraid of heights certainly didn't compliment what I was about to do. When it was my turn I approached the cliff and grabbed on. Within a matter of seconds, those nervous blues inside me began to disappear. They were immediately replaced with the rush of the moment. I made sure not to look down and to concentrate on the placement of each step. About halfway up the cliff I reached a point where I couldn't figure out how to proceed. The butterflies in my stomach took over and left me panicked. Luckily, I had people around me that were able to suggest where to go from there. Once I got to the top I felt a sense of satisfaction and relief. Little did I know, that feeling of calmity would be gone. After you go up, you have to go down. I was nervous to hang from the cliff and belay myself down. Being so distracted by my nervous feelings, I wasn't able to fully appreciate the magnificent view. Soon enough it was my turn. After I started belaying, I felt much better. I was feeling better and better after each step down. I reached the bottom and felt great. Even though this was no Everest, I was able to overcome one of my fears and do something new. A weight was lifted off of me as a I took off all of my gear and walked over to the rest of the group.