On mountain climbing

Sparrow’s nest to over the top….

The mountain is so much like real life. There are more at the bottom than at the top. We can choose to keep our eyes on the heights, slowly, steadily, with determination, we can pass the “sparrow’s nest”. We need not be distracted by the living monuments of quitters who mark the pathway to the top of the mountain. Each one who has settled for the second best is a reminder to us that life is a journey and not a destination, that joy comes through striving and not settling down, that victory and quitting are not compatible.

We can climb onward and upward like the eagle. The moment the climbers hesitate, the quitters will encourage them to stop. If we continue to climb, they will criticize. If we achieve, they will rationalize.

Finally, we arrive at the top. It is less crowded now, but the caliber of those who make it is different. At the summit you will find those who are encourager. We find great fellowship and conversation about discipline, sacrifice, joy, happiness, achievement, and success. No hard-luck stories on top of the mountains. No critical, envious, and bitter spirits. No bad attitudes or chips on shoulders. No sour disposition or negative thinking. It is good to be on top of the mountain. The air is clear. The vision is great. The beauty is something to behold. The fellowship is wonderful, and the feeling is good.

But the feeling of satisfaction comes only after victory. That feeling is the result of hard work and determination.

That feeling of achievement assures you that your talents and energies have been wisely expended. You have soared like the eagles. You have seen too much to be satisfied with less! You have experienced too many exciting adventures to settle for second best. Yes, you have climbed like the eagle, and there’s nothing that can make you roost in the sparrow’s nest again – ever.

Meditations for Leaders by John C. Maxwell, his first book….

from mountain climbers…..
Mediocre – via French from latin mediocris moderate, literally: halfway up the mountain, from medius middle + ocris stony mountain

WHY DO WE CLIMB MOUNTAINS?
The answer, my friend, is EASY.
As the famous John Muir once said: "BECAUSE IT'S THERE!"

As someone qualified,
"THE MOUNTAINS ARE ALWAYS THERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS." There is no greater metaphor for life than climbing mountains. They have a way of stripping the mind down do to its basic senses and forcing us to live in the moment. Spending time in the mountains teaches us about ourselves, mainly about the insignificance of our own existence. When we stand on the summit, we realize that we are standing at the top of a world that most people will never have the honor to set foot in. We will be peering over a crowd of giants at a land forged by forces greater than mankind. Our objective is to remain as honored guests in this land and not become prisoners. In order to do this we must respect everything around us and maintain balance.

If we truly value our lives, then we must live them to the fullest. The trip has been planned for quite some time; we know from the beginning that it would be fraught with danger. To turn back is useless, even in the face of a fierce storm or worsening conditions. We must expect the worst and hope for the best. If we do not summit because we made the decision to turn back, we learned another lesson: When we do not try, we learn nothing of the world around us and of the world inside us.

Mountaineering is more than scaling the top of mountains; if we believe this is so, we are treading a path of foolery. Mountaineering is about everything BUT getting to the top. It is about teamwork, courage, fortitude, good decision making, determination, etc. Getting to the top is merely the culmination of effort and circumstance. Effort is in our hands, while circumstance is in the wind. In the end, the rewards of mountaineering heavily outweigh the risks, but everyone who had set foot to conquer the mountains knew this. Standing at the summit, we will be afforded a fleeting glimpse of nothing less than the meaning of life, the apex of truth and beauty, the literal pinnacle of success. Let us take advantage of our youth, health, and means by putting our hard work and preparation to the test. Those who climb for glory, money, fame, and the like may see the view from the top, but the true beauty of mountaineering will always be blanketed by cloud. Those who climb for truth and beauty will be afforded a clear view of something that is often hard to see through the fog of civilization; themselves.