Tents & Mountains

I climbed a mountain (or what felt like a mountain) last weekend. I went camping...in a tent. I'm not much of a camper, and I don't feel overly excited about those things that go "bump" in the night. But I do love a good experience, the kind that lends itself to a memorable story worthy of a life-changing challenge. Perhaps you might bare with me for a few minutes...

So, this whole camping thing...From cooking our food over the fire to sleeping outside under the stars (on an air mattress) to watching longhorns and buffalo (or is it bison...) in the wild, I took in the beauty of nature through this first-hand camping account. Saturday morning, though, is what put the icing on the cake so to speak.

I was with a rather large group of TwentySomethings, predominately males (it was almost a 3 to 1 ratio, for which any other time I would be most happy). However, the outdoors seems to ad the "ly" to man--bringing out the true guy within. That's how this whole idea of hiking (which I define as walking and climbing up a slight hill) turned into wading through snake invested weeds and scaling rocky mountainsides. (Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit...but you get the jest).

Between deep gasps for air and water breaks, I managed to survive the intense climb unscathed with only minor cuts. I realize, as I think back on that experience, that the hike--while physically challenging--created community in a way this group had never experienced before. True of any type of situation like this, the physical endurance and ability of each person varies slightly. But this didn't keep us from climbing together, ensuring that all climbers were safe and close to the group.

Life should be like this. So many times we live in isolation when life's circumstances throw curve balls in our direction. We allow the hidden "sticker" bushes to push us into tight, dark holes, believing all is best kept in secret. How untrue this is. Life is to be lived in community, where we intentionally make it a point to reach out to those around us, inviting ourselves to join them on this journey called life.

See, life is hard. Sometimes we're forced to climb rocky mountains, but oh, how we miss the view along the way when we do it alone. It's in those moments that our eyes are fixed on the incredible difficulty that lies ahead. That's why a good friend...a solid community...proves necessary during tough moments.

I finished the hike. It was hard, and I was tired...but I finished. And as I picture that landscape in my mind, I'm reminded of the view from the mountain top. It was breathtakingly beautiful. I'm proud of my achievement. But more so, I'm excited that I didn't have to go alone. The view from the top wouldn't have been the same.

What's your mountain look like? Maybe I could carry your pack for a while...