Welcome to Climbing Mountains

Twenty years ago, one of the biggest traumatic events in the world happened. It triggered a series of further traumatic events that have rippled to affect things through the 2000s, 2010s, and today. There are adults who don’t remember a time when the US wasn’t at war.

But I don’t want to discuss that today. I’ve already written plenty of blog posts about it. 

This week has been stressful. My cat has been sick and I’m hoping she’s okay. One two hour trip to the vet left us with more questions than answers. I think she’s getting better, but it was a tough couple of days.

So much of the past few years have felt like never ending challenges - like trying to climb a mountain and finding more of that mountain to climb. I’ll think I’ll get to the top of my mountain, congratulate myself, turn around, and shout “you’ve got to be kidding me” as I see more mountain.

 However, I keep climbing that mountain because I know at some point I will reach the top and I’ll feel fantastic once I get there.

Just so long as this doesn’t turn into the story of Sisyphus.

If you’re not familiar with the Greek myth, it’s about a guy named Sisyphus who kidnapped the god of death, Thanatos, tricked Persephone, and royally pissed off Hades. He was punished by the gods to roll a giant rock up a mountain only to have the giant rock roll back down the mountain over and over again once he reached the top. Overly Sarcastic Productions has a great synopsis of the myth (click here). 

Personally, I always picture Sisyphus getting squashed into a pancake like a Loony Toon when the rock rolls back down.

Right now, I feel like the mountain of problems and stress I’m climbing is never ending. Some days, I feel like I’m Sisyphus about to be flattened by everything I’m doing - though I’m not sure which god I annoyed/tricked/kidnapped to cause that.

But unlike Sisyphus, I plan on getting to the top of my mountain. Sisyphus is on the mountain all by himself. I know I have help. It’s safer to climb (and hike) with a buddy or a group. They’ll catch you if you trip, hold the back of your shirt so you don’t fall off a ledge, and cheer you on when all you want to do is quit. We’ll get to the peak of the mountain together. 

By the way that squirrel was pooping . What a great view for that.

Once there, I’ll relax a bit and then find a new mountain to climb. Because even though mountain climbing might be tough, it feels great to get to the top. Plus there’s usually a spectacular view - especially when you can share it with those you climbed the mountain with.

How do I know this?

I climbed a mountain last week.

It wasn’t a big mountain, but it was a lot more precarious than my usual hikes to a spectacular peak. I went and visited my cousins who live near Acadia National Park in Maine. We had to get up at 5:45 to start climbing before everyone else got there. By the time we’d hiked the whole loop and got back to the ground, there was a line of people snaking their way up the rock’s face.

We’re all going to climb mountains. Some will be small and steep, others tall with gradual winding paths to the summit. Not one of us will have the same experience making our climbs. It’s not a contest or a race. Like any good story it’s a journey.

Until next week.

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