Lessons from mountain peaks

When I go hiking, I often have a destination in mind, and often it is a mountain summit. The summits vary in how difficult they are to reach; some require multiple days and exhausting effort, and others can be reached in an hour or two. But there is always a joy and sense of accomplishment, often euphoria, to stand atop a summit, to look down and see how far you climbed, and to look around at the marvelous vista that a highpoint provides.

However, there's another feeling that often hits me on top of a mountain. Looking around and seeing the dozens of other mountain peaks, you realize how much more there is still to be done in your hiking life! You're not "done" because you reached a summit; you're able to see the rest of what there is to experience in the area.

Other times, I have failed to reach the goal because of a variety of conditions - personal, environmental, related to others in my group, etc. It's sometimes hard to "give up" short of the goal and accept a lesser achievement; but there are lessons to be learned in being willing to turn back when that is the best choice.

Often in our daily lives, we struggle to climb the mountain of a problem or difficulty. It can take hours or days, or weeks, or years. Sometimes we may not reach the "summit" and achieve what we had hoped; but that's OK, once we've done our best, because we've struggled and learned, and experienced growth in the process. But when we do conquer the challenge and stand briefly, emotionally or mentally, atop the peak, it's good to not forget that there are more challenges all around, and the next one may be coming sooner than we expect.

I #GiveThanks for the mountains in my life, literal and symbolic, and for the privilege of continuing to climb!