Half way around the world, I’m walking a long winding road uphill in a small village in Norway. I’m visiting a brother and THOUGHT I was eager to see the countryside. Suddenly, after a mile or so, the road ends. Thank God I say to myself. What a beautiful hike, but boy was it steep! That’s when he points up. “Only 400 meters more!”
I won’t get too far into the pain that ensued, or the silent complaining and second guessing I was doing, but suffice it to say, the path was twice as steep and winding, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky nor shade to be found.
When I finally thought that my legs couldn’t hurt, my lungs couldn’t burn, and my feet couldn’t ache any more, we were there! And let me tell you brothers and sisters: it was so worth it!
As we took a break atop this hill side, 579 meters up, my feet no longer ached. My lungs didn’t burn. My legs didn’t hurt. I was able to look down on everything that I had just went through.
That’s when it hit me. There was meaning in all this!!!
The road is the journey we all go on. Sometimes easy, Sometimes uphill, sometimes very steep! in those moments during our hike, it reminded me of the trials I had been through searching for meaning, wondering why my life felt so f#^}ed. When my body began to rebel, I just wanted to turn around; to walk back. To quit.
When my brother Pointed up higher, I was sure I couldn’t go on. That’s when the gut check kicked in. This moment I equate to realizing I could t do it all by myself. I looked for guidance. I followed his lead.
That’s when the road got tougher. Having someone to walk with, to cheer me on, and guide me made it seem bearable despite the pain.
Once we reached the top, I was able to look back on all the hard times I had just survived. There was definitely a beauty in it. Not just because of the view in front of me, but because I survived it! I was able to see the journey for what it was. We had reached the top and I felt literally and figuratively on top of the world.
I saw all the spots that caused me trouble and pain. They seemed so small and insignificant in the end. Even so, without them, I wouldn’t have got to where I was now standing.
We decided to hike another 10 miles that day, mostly on the plateau of our high, but also with more ups and downs. By this time I didn’t care. I learned that one destination is not the end. It’s only proof. I had survived the long road to the top; I did it both in my head and on my feet. From here on out I wouldn’t let a steep path stand in my way. I could do it!
The road is long, but oh, so worth it
Let’s take a walk 