Batten down the hatches…?

The rumors are flying thick and fast at [My employer] about another round of layoffs, and it’s hard not to get rattled by it. Which, I guess, is why I’m rattled by it. Even though I’m not in any danger of sleeping on the street, (or even moving back in with parents), even though horrible things have happened in the past month here in New York that make me glad just to be alive, even though I still have a great freelance job on the side, the possibility of getting let go is really scary. I remember learning rock climbing, tied in to a harness, top-roped and belayed by an instructor, barely eight feet off the ground — falling still felt like I was going to die. The last few seconds while I was clinging to the wall was the worst part, actually: the fall itself wasn’t bad at all (except for the wedgie.)

I’m not sure if I hope that will turn out to be an applicable metaphor.