Yes the title of this entry is also the title of a song by Miley Cyrus and yes even though I have never really liked Miley Cyrus I might possibly like this song.
But this entry isn't about Miley Cyrus (well it has been so far but I'm about to change gears). I climbed a mountain once. Mt. Bierstadt stands 14.061 feet above sea level. I went to the top. It was awesome. The thing about it was that there were plenty of other people that I passed while I did it. or they passed me. We were all climbing, and while we were all going at our own pace we were all trying to reach the top. Standing atop the mountain was one of the greatest moments in the last year of my life. No, it was probably one of the greatest moments in my life. It is what Abraham Maslow would refer to as a self-actualizing moment. It is what I refer to as one flipping awesome day. I didn't have my camera that day, but I will never forget what the world looks like from 14,000 feet.
The other week I was at church and the faces on the people around me were all so desperate. They were all there praying for answers or help or something. It was reassuring. I know that might sound weird but to me, someone who also was looking for answers, it was reassuring to see other people with the same expression I had. I didn't feel alone. Even though all of us were there to find something different, we were all climbing at a different pace, none of us were alone.
I think this really hit home last night before I went to bed and I read an email from my older brother (Toddzilla for all of you who were in the blogtv show). Anyway it was a reply to an email I had sent him and it was awesome. Todd is 6 years older than I am and he is made out of awesome (it is hereditary) so I have spent a good portion of my life seeing him achieve awesome things. To me he has always seemed like he has everything together and everything comes really easy for him. It was an cool email because it gave me insight into a part of his life I never see, and it showed me that he too has the same insecurities and struggles I do. It is weird yet reassuring to find out that someone you look up to has the same challenges you do, and it made me realize I am not alone.
None of us are alone. We, the human race, only see our lives and it is hard for us to remember that everyone around us has the same problems we do. We think only of ourselves and it is difficult to remember that everyone else is on this climb with us. They might be going at a different pace, but we aren't alone. And while we have to fight our battles alone (just like the Karate Kid) we aren't the only ones fighting. Everyone is fighting. And that gives me confidence. I just think about my friends and family and I remember I have a cheering section. I just look at other people and say "if they can do it so can I" and I look around and see others struggling and I say "I am not alone."
To quote Miley Cyrus, "There's always going to be another mountain, I'm always gonna wanna make it move, its always gonna be an uphill battle, sometimes you're gonna have to loose. Ain't about how fast I get there, ain't about what's waiting on the other side. It's the climb."
What? I can quote Miley Cyrus on my blog. I'm not ashamed.
Keep on rocking in the free world.
2 comments:
So true. As John has often said, it's always hard for us to view each other complexly since the only person we (perhaps) know fully is ourselves. But you're right, we're all climbing. We're all going at our own pace. Sometimes the climb is easy and wonderful and sometimes it's hard and we fall. It's nice to be reminded of that. It's also nice to know that we aren't alone and that there are other people right beside us. Thanks, Scott, and I hope your interview goes fantastically!
It's ok to quote Miley, but only b/c it talks about climbing mountains which is manly, haha.
It's great to see and be reminded that we aren't in this all alone. By nature we're all a bit selfish and think our problems/struggles have only happened to us. Then when we start looking outside ourselves we see everyone else is hurting and searching just like us, and that life is better when we share those struggles with others. It's then that we find help or inspiration, or hope. Climbing is definitely much safer when done with someone else.
I think you said the job interview went well, so congrats! Hope the move up to Ohio goes smoothly. But even if it doesn't just remember you're not alone in the climb.
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