I'm back from my recent visit home to Colorado. I enjoyed spending time with family, celebrating milestones (my Dad's 70th birthday), and the time spent in my home state enjoying all the beauty there. We were able to take the time one day and travel over to Estes Park and through Rocky Mountain National Park. While visiting the park we went over Trail Ridge Road and stopped near the top, which is at a little over 12,000 feet above sea level. Needless to say, the views from up there are stunning! It's almost like you are kissing the sky up there!
Everyone has heard/knows the analogy that says life is like climbing a mountain, right? Well, what they leave out of that analogy is that climbing a mountain is hard work. As you climb in elevation, the air gets thinner and it's harder to breathe. In Colorado, there is a point on the mountain that we refer to as timberline. Timberline is the point at which the climate becomes to harsh for trees (i.e. timber) to grow. Once you get past timberline, there is nothing to block the wind, so you are left to feel the full force of the wind without any shelter available. The temperature gets colder the higher you climb. Not to mention the snow. Have you ever tried to walk through snow that is waist high? It's not easy.
Yup, climbing a mountain is not easy. And, often when you reach the top, what you discover is that there is yet another, higher mountain behind it that you now must climb. That's a pretty accurate description of life.
The other day I was feeling like I had just climbed a 14ner-- that's a mountain that is 14,000 feet or higher. There are people who spend their lives trying to climb every fourteener. Let's be clear here, I'm not one of those people (unless I can climb it in a car). Anyway, back to the point. I was tired, short of breath, and not looking forward to my next climb. So, I looked at my husband and announced that I was taking a day to stop and rest. I needed some reflection time. I needed to take some time to be grateful, at peace, and be quiet.
I'm here to tell you today that sometimes, when you reach the top of one of your mountain, it's ok to take a little time to stop and enjoy the view. Look around. Breathe in the crisp, clean air. Don't rush into worrying about how you are going to climb that next mountain. And don't look over at someone else's mountain with envy. Chances are, if you really knew what they had to go through to get to the top of their mountain, you would pass on climbing that one.
Find a spot where you can rest and reflect. Look down into the valley where you started. Be grateful that you made it through all the way to the top. Look up at the sky. Sit back and rest. Rest your soul and mind. Watch the clouds as they pass by overhead. Listen to the wind as it rushes by. Enjoy the quiet peace that you often find on top. Take in the full 360 view. The Italians have a saying "Il Dolce Far Niente"-- it translates to the "sweetness of doing nothing." Take a moment to stop and do nothing but just be, just to soak up the moment of the mountaintop experience. It's ok to allow yourself that moment, no matter what anyone else says.
Then, when you feeling grateful, refreshed, and renewed, you can begin to look forward to your next climb. Knowing that you have already conquered one mountain, so you can, and will, conquer another.
I wish you a happy, restful Monday! I'll leave you with a few more photos of the mountaintops of Colorado. Enjoy!
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