Heart and Soul: Climbing Mountains

When I was much younger and in seriously better shape, I used to do a fair amount of hiking. I especially loved hiking up mountains. I’ve always loved going up someplace high, sitting for hours looking over the view and allowing my thoughts to explore every nuance in the setting below. There’s just something about being able to go someplace like that, to allow the ol’ brain waves to calm down, return to a normal pace and let the neurons wake up parts of the brain that remain inactive while we’re in hyper mode doing a lot of stuff that, in the big scheme of things don’t really matter that much.

I guess I shouldn’t assume that everyone else lives the kind of lifestyle I do, but truly, I think they do! If they’re not, there shouldn’t be as much road rage as there is.

Getting back to mountains, by the way, the mountains that are in Alberta are really on loan from BC… we just felt bad for you guys and thought we’d give you some because we have lots.

If you go back to Biblical times, mountains usually represented authority, kingdoms or strength. I guess that explains why a person feels so empowered when they’ve conquered the highest peaks of the planet. Mountains possess a bit of mystery as well as being majestic. Sometimes they’re ominous, and can represent danger or safety depending on whom or what you are. For a mountain goat or bighorn sheep, the sheer sides of mountains or cliffs keep them safe from many predators.

For the most part, if you’ve lived amongst mountains they’re comforting. For me, a mountain is a place where my mind is free to dream as big as the view I’m looking at and more.

If I was looking at a mountain, I would wonder what was on the other side. If I was on the top of one and saw another, I would still wonder the same thing. I guess I’m still that way. It doesn’t really matter what I’m doing as a project or a destination, I still wonder, “what’s after this?” (But not until I’ve had a bit of a rest.) It’s a great thing for not allowing life to get stagnant.

Mountains are a metaphor many times, like; having a mountain of debt, or a mountain of trouble, making a mountain out of a molehill, or eluding to a mountain with “it’s an uphill battle”. No matter how you look at it, they still represent places of authority or power over your life.

Sometimes those places of authority aren’t good forces and need to be taken down, eg: debt, trouble, and the battles. These kinds of mountains are there, often, but not always, because of poor choices, and are simply the result of those choices. They can be overcome by using a little discipline and common sense, unless you’re a fatalist who can’t possibly assume responsibility for your own actions… that, then, is another kind of mountain that rules your life!

Mountains take strength and determination to climb. Endurance helps as well. I’ve climbed several, both literal and figurative, and once I had determined in myself to take on the challenge, the rewards were always well worth the effort. They were never easy, but the victory always outlasts the struggle of the journey. There is nothing like “conquering” a mountain… in both cases, the literal and figurative mountains have something for you to see, a reward that you would never get otherwise, and a way to empower you for future climbs.

No matter what kind of mountain you’re climbing… once you’ve made it to the top, take the time to bask in, and enjoy your reward… you’ve earned it! Of course, if you’re a couch potato, you would have no clue whatsoever of what I could possibly be getting at. Try driving up someplace high; you’ll sort of get the idea.

Here’s a mountain worthy of your climb: “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it” (Isaiah 2:2 NKJV). Happy mountain climbing!