words

climb

God sets us mountains to climb.

Each mountain offers a spectacular view at its peak. 

Eventually when you look at that view for so long, you forget how you got up there in the first place.

One day when you stare at that view, another mountain peak will cross your line of sight and you will say,  "I wonder how good the view looks from up there?"

You've become so focused on what the  reward will be, that you've forgotten the effort of the climb it took to get up the first mountain.

You've forgotten that, much like the real mountain climber, you have to go downhill, down the familiar mountain you've scaled, all the way to its base, before you can climb again.

Alas, when you come downhill, you are disappointed that you left your beautiful view behind.

All you see now is bare ground and another towering mountain before you.

From where you stand you think to yourself, "Why did I come down from that mountain? The view was just fine." Then you think, "I want to go back up but the climb is so far. Maybe I'll stay here instead."

So you set up camp on the ground inbetween the two colossal mountains. You get comfy. You seal yourself in your tent and wrap yourself in the warmth of your blanket.

It's nice, for a while at least, and yet you are not satisfied. You won't say it, but you're itching for a climb. For a challenge.

You decide to go the next day when you feel you have enough supplies for the journey ahead. You've decided not to re-climb the first mountain, instead you want to try something new. You take the risk and go for the second one.

The climb is hard. It's physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually draining. Along the way you come across many obstacles. Ones similar to the first climb, as well as new ones that test your ambition.

You struggle. You stop half way. You wonder if other climbers have reached their peaks or not. You wonder how they did it, how long it must have taken them.

Again, you forget. You're climb is yours and yours alone. No matter how many other climbers there are, they will all climb their own mountains. No matter how long it takes it's still a mountain, they're still people and that will never change.

Pushing yourself you stand up. You climb for what feels like an eternity with no sign of the top. It gets harder to breathe. The fog thickens. You're legs feel like giving way.

But you're almost there. You can feel it.

When you finally make it to the peak, you collapse. "I did it," you tell yourself, "I actually did it."

And you are not disappointed. No. You were right. The view from here is breathtaking. You can see the first mountain from where you stand. It looks comparably smaller in size. You wonder how that was even an obstacle for you when you were able to climb this one.

Deep down you know you can't weigh either climb. Each one was special to you for its own reasons.

You stay there for a while again and make yourself at home, staring at that same view until your eyes begin to wander. You spot another mountain top and instantly you forget the stress of the journey you just overcame. 

You just want to see what's at the top. And that's okay. Everybody does.

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