Saturday I climbed a mountain. Mount Tecumseh. I was all ready to tackle this mountain and thought that it would be easy. It was not so easy. But I made it to the top, despite having stopped many times along the path.One could make an analogy between climbing mountains and living life. They’re both harder than you think, and you may need to stop and rest a few times along the way, to catch your breath and think about where you’re going, why, and if you really do want to get to the top. Some of us don’t make it all the way; we turn back and never get to see the view. And some of us tend to wander off the trail, meandering around on our way up, not quite sure where we’re going, or what we need to do to get there, because we can’t see that path that leads us there. Maybe we all go through these steps as we get older. I don’t know. All I know is my experience, and how lately I’ve been thinking more about my purpose, my future, and what I believe lies ahead of me. I can almost see what the future has in store for me, but there are still a few mysteries. But that’s okay, because I love not knowing everything. There must always be something for us to look forward to, surprises you never expected in a million years. And I’ve definitely had many of those on my path to the top so far.

On the way down the mountain, I was exhilarated. I had made it past the point where we had to climb, and I was now on the way down, back to reality, back to the car, back to life as I know it on a daily basis. And I had my walking stick in hand, helping me navigate and balance as gravity pulled me down along the path. Moss was growing on everything around me. And then there were the leaves.

I thought about the leaves, how they are so beautiful when they turn reddish orange, and yellow. But it’s sad, really, if you think about it. Leaves are most beautiful when they are near death, because they turn these brilliant colors right before they fall off and die. They may live for a while after they fall off the tree, but eventually they will dry out and turn into dust. But they were so beautiful for a brief moment.

I want to believe that we aren’t like leaves in this way. I don’t want to believe that we are at our most beautiful before we pass away. I believe that we are at our most beautiful when we find beauty in others, and in other things around us. If we can see the beauty in others, I believe it makes us more beautiful. And I mean beautiful in the sense that we are more kind and sweet, intelligent, thoughtful, confident, at ease in our own skin. When we are at this point, others can then see the beauty in us.

It is hard to get to this point, but don’t give up. You’ll get there. There will be a time in your life where you feel more at home, and you do things that just seem right. It is then that you will see that you are on the right path to the top of your mountain. You can go it alone or take a few friends along with you. And you may lose some people on the way, and meet up with others you thought you’d left back on the trail who have caught up with you. No matter what, keep on climbing. Keep on doing what seems right. And you will one day look back on the path you took and smile, because you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

I fully expect to climb more real mountains in my life. And more metaphorical ones as well. It’s all part of my path to the top. For a while I had lost sight of my mountain, and wandered a bit. But I am back on track, and eager to go forward, intent on climbing, even if I have to rest a lot along the way.