Hills
I was recently out in western Maine at a family cabin, which is accessible by one long winding road that I regularly and willingly set out to run along a few times during each trip. Looking up at yet another brutal hill along a run through the White Mountain foothills, I found myself appreciating the incline in front of me and the many still to come. Sounds crazy, I know, but I can explain.
With countless deer flies dive-bombing my head, I crested another hill (sidebar: these are not average hills. They wind on forever, and every time you think you have reached the top, the road bends and reveals more hill to climb) and felt a sense of relief and accomplishment, even though the flies remained. The descent offered a welcome respite, made better because it had been earned (even though I knew, I could see, that the hill rolled right back up). The rolling terrain makes it nearly impossible to see much of the road ahead. Mostly, you can see only the next hill. So I am not even enduring the hills for some spectacular view. Most of the run consists of staring up at the incline directly in front of me.
At the crest of yet another hill, one that seemed to go on for a mile, I stopped for a moment to catch my breath. For once, I could see a little of the road ahead. There was a descent, yes, but beyond it waited crest after crest, hill upon hill…so I put my head down, enjoyed the decline while it lasted, and built up my stamina and determination to take on the next incline and all the rest to follow.
Somewhere along the way, a few realizations began to crystallize in my mind as to how this endeavor was a parallel to life:
- It is far better to earn your way to the top than to be placed there.
- You’re not always going to see the end, and that’s okay. Sometimes you just need to put one foot in front of the other.
- Reaching the top of one hill does not mean you are finished. There will always be another climb.
Let me expand on these a bit.
Reaching the top or accomplishing something, whether it is a goal, a task, or a new skill, means far more when you have earned it. If you compete for something, you aren't just given a gold medal; that would be a cheat to the field, to yourself, and your own capabilities. Same as if you were just placed at the top of a mountain rather than climbing it. You get the same view but not the same perspective.
Life is a journey, and you’re not going to know where the road leads. You might have some ideas, but no one can see the future. At times, it might feel like you're on a downhill and things are rolling. Resist the urge to coast, enjoy the brief respite, but prepare and steel yourself for the inevitable inclines to come. And then there will be times when life feels like an endless climb. I've been there. In these times, remember the sense of accomplishment and power you've gained from reaching past peaks and know you will get there again. But there will be times when it's necessary to put your head down and put one foot in front of the other. That is progress. Yes, it may be slow, but it is progress nonetheless. Do not minimize this.
Now I am not suggesting you climb metaphorical hills in life out of sheer masochism. While I do regularly run hills, put myself through grueling training sessions, challenge myself mentally, etc., it’s not just for the pain but rather for the capability gained after each “climb”. I try to organize my life to be more like the “hills” in Image A vs. Image B.
So that one victory, or accomplishment, builds on the last. Capability leads to greater capability and so on.
That is the pursuit. It requires intentionality, going towards the hard things with the confidence knowing that you will be better on the other side.