Taking a Step in Faith: A Frozen Trek
Another excerpt straight from my journal, this entry was written in January. During that time in my life, I was incredibly strung out and in desperate need of a private getaway. I decided to take a solo hike one morning, and the rest is history.
(Note: I hope to post more journal entries in the future. That being said, there are some entries that are brutally honest, unfiltered, and, every so often, contain a word or two that I would not repeat in my daily life. However, in the spirit of vulnerability and honesty, I will not edit any journal entries I transcribe on this blog. In trying to be more open about how I feel and how I process my life, I believe it would be an injustice to leave out any portion of an entry for the sake of niceties.)
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The last month and a half has left me little to no time for rest or recreation. At my wit's end, I spontaneously decided to hike Sharp Top Mountain, a popular summit along the Peaks of Otter in central Virginia. After an hour's drive, which was spent imploring God to speak to me, I found myself staring at the trail's beginning. Unbeknownst to me, snowfall from a few days prior remained, and the elevation preserved it and encased the ground (and the surrounding foliage) in a thick layer of ice. Needing the exposure to the outdoors so desperately, I girded my loins, shifted the weight of my backpack, and began the ascent through the frozen forest.
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The hike, to say the least, was an unforeseen challenge, a physical feat of strength and dexterity while testing my mental stamina and willpower. One particularly icy patch was complimented by a fallen tree that blocked the entire path. Upon trying to maneuver my body and pack around the roadblock, my foot lost its grip, and I began to slide towards a drop-off, steeply careening down the mountain. It wasn't until I grabbed a protruding root and pulled myself back up that I realized how quickly my heart was beating and how slowly the world around me was moving. I caught my breath, then immediately chuckled to myself. The adrenaline of such an encounter left me with a renewed sense of vigor. I was going to finish that hike if it was the last thing I did!
Despite the peril this day delivered, there were peaceful moments. There were stretches on the trail that depicted an arctic forest-tundra of sorts, something that Bob Ross himself couldn't even paint and a sight that this pen couldn't dream of describing. When I reached the top, I sat against a rock, exhausted and cold (the weather had dropped to the mid 20's Fahrenheit), but elated to gaze out upon the valley below. I did my daily devos there, high above the world, and spent some much-needed time in the sunny solitude, just me, God, and my thoughts.
Eventually, however, it was time to descend the mighty mountain. I was not surprised to discover that the journey back down proved more dangerous than the walk up; I had to slide down half of the mountain on my ass, and the feeling in my legs quickly disappeared with the freezing water permeating my hiking pants. Coming to the fallen tree once again, I ran into a group of Marines and a poolee platoon that was hiking for PT. A few of the Marines, not the poolees, began to complain about the arduous ascent, and that opened my eyes to just how much a lack of grumbling can change your outlook on life. Many brave men cower or complain about their journey. Any attitude of grumbling and groaning will only hinder their ability to climb the slopes.
While we're being philosophical, I came to a few realizations during my hike:
- Fear is natural; it's what keeps us alive. But trusting in the Lord in all things will help us overcome it.
- The hidden battles must be fought first before the public ones begin.
- So many people turn their back on their goals or dreams when the going gets tough. The exceptional, the ones that make a difference in the world, overcome their obstacles, even in the face of danger.
- Pulling joy and gratitude from the little things is what makes life so beautiful. You can find these things in the flight of a bird, a hug from a friend, or a smile from a stranger. It can be found in the highest of peaks and the lowest of valleys, but a wise man will find it in both.
- No two journeys are exactly the same, and each person navigates theirs differently. Even so, one person's journey can always help another, even if two paths never converge, or maybe do for a brief moment in time.
- The good things in life never come easy. Learn to relish in and enjoy the process of doing hard things.
- The views from the top are always worth the effort, and they're often the most beautiful at the end of a perilous journey.
- Solitude is man's most underrated blessing, and we should learn to seek and cultivate it. This is not to say that we should constantly and consistently isolate ourselves from the world; however, the value of spending time alone, with minimal distractions between you and the Father, is a treasure that only a few possess. It's worth more than anything this world can offer.
- Always offer a helping hand if you are able. You never know what someone is walking through, literally and figuratively. Use your experience to guide others along the right path.
- You may not always have what you want, but you will always have what you need.
- In the journey of life, there are clear patches and icy ones, easy slopes and steep ones, beautiful sights and terrifying ones. There are moments of levity and moments where it's impossible to see the path ahead. And sometimes you're able to walk steadily on your own two feet while also coming to points where you must slide, crawl, or stop entirely. Learn to love the process.
- Sometimes, wrong turns will be taken, and the view from the summit will look different than what you expected or hoped for. This does not mean that the view you have found is any less beautiful than the one you were hoping to find. If God wants you in a certain place, He will put you there. If not, He will redirect you to where He wants you. Either way, God's providence is abundant, and if you ask Him for His will for your life, He will provide for you.
- Above all else, thanking the Father for the journey and trusting His constant protection and provision is key. When the icy patches seem too dangerous to traverse, He provides a branch to hold on to. When the slopes become too steep to navigate, He provides dry rocks to step foot on. When the way seems perilous and the end is difficult to see, He will always provide a way out. Our job is simply to follow Him, trust Him, and take steps in faith. He will take care of the rest.
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