Climb Every Mountain

Yesterday, at approximately 5:15 pm EST, exhausted and exhilarated, I completed a six mile, three hour hike/ climb up High Top and High Windy Mountains in Black Mountain,NC. This is a feat I would not have been able to accomplish one year and fifty pounds ago.

Approximately 75 of us started this climb. Two had to come down early due to injuries sustained during the climb. Parts of this climb involved literally pulling ourselves along using whatever roots and branches we could reach. Sometimes the path was steep and muddy. At three separate stages we had to climb areas of sheer rock face-- grasping to find foot and handholds where ever we could. On our climb was a teenager afraid of heights. One of the most remarkable things I saw was how the people-- and a couple of guys in particular-- helped her along the rough every tear and panic attack she had. She made it. This brave young lady, who I called my niece, Cecelia Price, accomplished a task she never envisioned.

At the beginning of the hike I had earphones in, but as we progressed, I realized that I needed to be able to hear the others. All along the way we gave words of encouragement, advice and support. And we made it. Some of us slower than others, but we made it. Some people say the spectacular. views from the top are your reward. I disagree.

Your reward is your sense of accomplishment after you have finished. I may have many spiritual and mental mountains left to climb in my life. I may never climb another physical mountain. But just this once-- I did.  Shout out to Dorian my fellow explorer and Sonny Cho from Prattville for getting Cecelia up that mountain. Shout out to D'Vonne for the words of encouragement and all the "selfies"! And especially to Miss Crystal who,like me, lost a lot of weight in the past year and saw this as a challenge she had to conquer.  We did it Crystal!  I know your trainer was proud.