On Labor Day we ALL climbed Mount Sherman. Supposedly the easiest fourteener in Colorado. Well really, is there an easy fourteener? You could count Mt. Evans or Pikes Peak - but they are easy simply because you can drive to the top.
We began at 6:30am just as the sun was peaking over the first ridge of the skyline. It took me 3 hours to summit and 1 1/2 to get down. The kids, of course, were way ahead on the trail the whole time. Even Griffin impressed the other groups of climbers as he pushed full steam ahead to the top. Jeff was the great man that he is and stayed back with Emma and me as we slowly prodded up the trail. I had a few things working against me that made the trek a little harder than it would have been for most. I still have my chest pains when I get my heart rate up for an extended period of time and of course my extreme fear of heights. I am proud to say that I didn't have a heart attack and I only had one moment of frozen anxiety. I made it!!!
As we hiked along, Jeff and I came up with some parallels to climbing a mountain and life. So here it is - this is what we learned from Sherman:
1. You must do essential things like eating and drinking while hiking - even when you don't feel like it!! Just like it is important to do essential things like reading your scriptures and praying - even when you don't feel like it!!
2. Attitude is everything. When we moan and groan it makes the task ahead of us so much harder!
3. Sometimes people give up. They turn around and go back when they are so close to the end. As friends and family we encourage and prod others along, but just like Lehi who begged his sons to come to the tree of life - we cannot force anyone to climb a mountain or partake of the fruit.
4. Finally, STAY ON THE TRAIL, when we veer off the marked path we endanger ourselves, risk getting lost and miss the purpose of the journey. The breath taking views at the end make it all worth it! WOW! We did it!
They never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it! Still too soon to ask me if I'm going to do it again:).
2 comments:
Awesome job, Jacksons! What a great family activity. Thanks for sharing your photos and insights. Congratulations, Lori, on checking off a bucket list item. :)
This adds a whole new dimension to your climbing Everest what with being afraid of heights and all...I'm curious how your insights differ from each experience!
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