Life is a lot like a hike. I found this to be true on our way up Table Mountain last week.
You start off on a new adventure, let’s say you just started a relationship with someone as a parallel to a hike.
You start off all excited and giddy, ready for the challenges ahead. You don’t know what they’ll be but you know they’re coming and you’re at least walking together and enjoying each other.
You begin to climb higher and higher, up a waterfall, up some sketchy ladders, you slip once on a ladder and think to yourself, I can’t do that again, we’re way too high and if I slip I’ll fall and surely die.
Higher still you climb, the path levels out a little and you can take a break. Rest and chill, catch up and share hearts, that should be a regular rhythm.
Onward and upwards, we’ve got a goal in mind and sitting still won’t get us there, but it will keep us refreshed. Without the stops and sharing hearts we’ll never get anywhere.
On the trail we hear of a magical place called ‘the beach’! Way up high on this mountain? A beach, no way!?
Sure enough we walk that way, and watch as the dirt and rocks become sand deep under us.
A beach a beach! How cool is that, so way up high!?
There’s a lake with water red like blood. “I’m jumping in!” says a fellow adventurer. With a stop just long enough to lose the chucks, she hurls herself into the water, that’s nuts! You hear the splash and out she comes with a shriek “SO COLD!” after she catches her breath. “Are you going in too?” Not a chance, the water is too cold and I have no more clothes, I would surely die (I think, as I hand her my warm coat)
Off we go again thanking God for all His goodness, sunshine, and beauty. Flowers abound as we skip from rock to rock, onward and upwards we steadily go.
Break-time and snack-time with a show. How amazing the view when God crafts it all. Flowers and bees and all kinds of critters.
Onward and upwards we trudge, as we’ve been going for what seems like forever, our legs feel like sludge. With the end in mind we keep one foot in front of the other.
We climb a steep rock and lose the trail. We try one way and it’s obviously not right. No worries, positive we stay, we’ll surely find the right way! No sooner than we try a different path then we discover we’re on the right track!
Onward and upwards we go! We make it to our goal, or so we thought. Our marker was clear, we still had a long ways to go. So we made a plan and stuck to it. A burrito at the top hit just the spot. Food and sharing hearts, now that’s a rhythm to keep.
Onwards we go, upwards is done.
AHHH!! There’s no ground over there! Why does the path have to be on the edge!? It’s scary over there. I’ll lose my footing and fall right over the edge, surely I’ll die.
How is it that no one else is scared!? Don’t they know there are more deaths on this mountain than Everest? They seem fearless, maybe I can be too.
Ohp, nope, that’s the edge…whooo…I can do this…nope, I need help…Can I get a hand? “Seriously?” Yeah, could I get a hand? (oh hi humility) My mind saw the next step just as wide as my shoe, in reality how wide it was, I had no clue.
Phew, I got a hand! Sometimes you just need a helping hand to make it one more step and then you’re all good…o…wait…that’s certain death over there, why are we still so close to the edge!?
Oooo look we’re in a cloud! How cool is that! I still see the edge so I’ll look down and cover the edge with my hoodie. Maybe if I don’t see it I’ll be fine. It seemed better but I was still afraid.
A friend, the adventurous one, offers to walk along with me. Phew, what a relief! It’s like I can do anything with someone walking with me! The walk is easy now and I can enjoy the view. It’s amazing when someone is walking right beside you!
Onwards we go through the magical cloud. The edge is far away now. A distant land.
We can laugh and sing now that we have full use of our lungs. It’s so peaceful and quiet up here and the wind is so cold!
We make it to our goal while the cloud is surrounding us. We know there’s a view to be had, but none can be found.
Life is like that sometimes. You make it to where you want to go, only to find it’s not at all what you expected, but somehow it’s better that way. God knows what we need and exactly when we need it. He’s the giver of good gifts because He is a Good Father. Life can be difficult at times, joyful at times, scary at times, peaceful at times, adventurous at times- there’s a time for everything under the sun. But what’s most important, and what you can always carry with you, is hope faith and love. We have hope that we’ll make it to where we are going. We have faith and trust in the One we are following. And we are overflowing with His love to love the one in front of us the way He loves us.
I learned that day I could be adventurous like my friend, embrace the dangers and not die. We all made it out alive (easily) but I missed a few moments to fully live. Because the lie that’s been echoing since the garden is fully immersed in fear- you’ll surely die says the snake. There’s no way you can do that, you’re not good enough, you’ll never be good enough, have you not realized how much you suck, you fail every time don’t bother getting up.
Please don’t listen to those lies. They will never be true of you. The Truth is we have already died “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 Fear of death is a real thing, I experience it every time I’m up high somewhere. But fear is no longer my master, love is. Love looks like a helping hand or a friend walking with you. Love shows you that fear will not overtake you. Love will always defeat fear.
These are just my thoughts, and maybe you disagree, that’s okay, I still love you. To love someone doesn’t mean you always agree with them. To deeply love someone means you show them kindness, gentleness, patience, faithfulness, self-control, love, joy, peace and goodness knows we all need those. Love looks like Jesus. How He laid His life down for His friends (you and me) and now we are called to follow His lead. “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love; just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2
I’ve determined that even if no one else does, I will enjoy my life. For now, that’s all I really have to say about Life-Hiking.
