Nothing is Impossible - Nims Dai and 14 Peaks

I remember watching the trailer for 14 Peaks, and I was blown away by it. It was something else altogether. There are 14 peaks in the world that stand above 8000 m (to put in perspective, that’s like 10 Burj Khalifas on top of each other, or 16 Empire state building). One man thought of climbing them all in one year. He achieved it in 7 months and the last person who had even thought of doing this had taken 7 years to do so. This was peak-level entertainment mixed with peak-level inspiration.

So what impressed me so much was not just that a person did this unachievable feat but also the fact that he had the audacity to think of something like this. The idea that it was possible for a man to climb14 peaks above 8000 m in one year. Something like this is as wild as the idea of putting a man on the moon. The common thing being that it had never been done before and it felt impossible to think of it.
I don't get impressed so easily; I do admire, and I am someone who can ppreciate things, but rarely do I come across something that I get impressed with, and it's mostly because when I come across something inconceivable. Anyone who has attempted to scale one mountain like the Mt.Everest, can tell you that climbing the Everest usually becomes the highlight of their life. And to think of climbing all 14 of those peaks, some of them even more arduous to ascend, is just unthinkable. ’m not into the sport of mountain climbing, and I am not particularly biased towards the idea of climbing mountains, but it always seemed like an interesting idea worth exploring somewhere in the future.  

I do admire and appreciate people who break away from the tyranny of precedent, explore the new frontiers and achieve things that have never ever been done. As an Indian, we have been fed on stories with characters that achieved larger-than-life things and superhuman feats, so you know to see things like that in real life is just like an orgasm for the spirit. Perhaps it always encourages me to do the seemingly impossible in life. For a person who has always had naysayers doubting me, as to what I could do in life and just proving them wrong at every stage in life, coming across people who do the unthinkable is like a fresh breeze that just fills your lungs with the spirit of optimism and positivity.

That's the sort of effect that I had when I saw Nims Dai's documentary. It was just one of the most awesome things to have seen it. And I remember feeling so pumped up after watching it. Nims keeps saying in the documentary that he wanted to tell the people of the world - Nothing is impossible and he does that exactly by accomplishing what he set out to do. As I learnt more and more in life, for doing in everything in life, from the simplest and menial of the tasks to the most arduous and challenging of missions, everything and I say everything requires courage. And another important thing that I learrnt or I realised is that very few people know how to give courage to others. Nims manages to do that in his documentary, by making us witness to his life through this documentary. From his  humble beginnings in a small village in Nepal to his joining the UK special forces, and serving in places like Afghanistan, to him becoming a mountaineer par excellence. To see how he draws strength from his mother and his family and or how his wife supports andunderstanding of his mission. Its all so simple and heartwarming. And then to his preparation for the mountains and the challenges of finding the money for the expeditions, it's honest.

The fact that Nims and his team's rescue missions while accomplishing their feat is inspirational to watch. And you feel your heart going out to them and wanting them to do it, and in some way it comes back tenfold to you when you give support to others in their cause. I feel your inner strength and your sense of what is achieveable increases. It's the sheer joy of watching good unfold. It's just amazing to watch how they go frm one peak to another … the tenacity of the human spirit against the forces of nature and the humility that comes with understanding that we are so much at the mercy of Mother Nature is a life long lesson that keeps repeating in all our lives. And you get a closer glimpse of that in extreme circumstances.

Today, as I’m writing this, it's after hearing the news of Nirmal's passing away along with his team of other climbers, while on an expedition climbing the Broad Peak in Pakistan. I’m filled with sadness, and my heart goes out to his family in this moment of their grief. But the lessons and the inspiration that Nirmal Purja showed to the world are like a bright light that shines beyond the sadness.

His famous line - Giving up is not in the blood, it's not in the blood!- echoes the spirit of the fearless Gurkha.

And what remains is just a simple statement - Nothing is impossible.

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