Aging as a Mountian Expedition
Even if you
have never followed a trail into a mountain range, join me in this way of
picturing ageing as an adventure. Think of every birthday as a new height of
land. Each year involves climbing over and around obstacles.
Join with me
at Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. The mountain trail going up and over
Siyeh Pass begins on the Going to the Sun Road at Sunrift Gorge.
We begin the hike with Sun Mountain to our
left. The trail climbs sharply through a grove of trees and then continues
through open rocky flats to a water fall.
Up we go around the falls and then take some switch backs gaining
altitude rapidly. Much of the climbing season we are in snow fields.
If the sun is hot there are occasional small
streams coming down over the trail and cooling us. The air is getting thin and
hikers notice stress of legs, feet and lungs.
One last surge of energy and we can see into the next valley and the
trail down. Looking back, it is obvious how high we have climbed and what
obstacles have been surmounted.
That moment
of seeing the next horizon is much like a birthday.
Each birthday a person is at a higher point in
the mountain range of a lifetime.
Delton 2-12-17
2 comments:
Your post paints a beautiful picture of the aging process.
This reminds me it is important to take time to reflect on one's life thus far and on the path ahead. Sometimes we only see the path right below our feet and it can feel monotonous. But looking up gives a fresh and needed perspective. Thank you Delton
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