Gary tells the story of being 10 years old and camping & hiking on Mount Rainier with his dad. On one particular day they had been hiking on pleasant asphalt trails around the Paradise visitor's center. He writes:
"At the top of the meadow trails, however, the paved trail ended and a large warning sign indicated the beginning of the trail used by climbers on their way to the summit. With a text undoubtedly drafted by lawyers, the sign warned of every conceivable horror that awaited those who ventured beyond. I wasn't feeling particularly tired, but my little stomach ached as I looked up at the massive rock formations and snow field that went up and up and up. My dad suggested we try to reach Camp Muir, the base camp used by climbers heading for the summit, and my brothers eagerly accepted. Dad assured me I could make it, that he would help me and that the view and the triumph would be more than worth the effort - and that it would be marvelous to do together.”
Gary, however, was thinking about the potential trials ahead. He pleaded with his dad to be allowed to wait at the visitor’s center. Finally, his dad relented and left him behind while the others went on up the mountain.
“The visitor’s center was warm and comfortable with lots of interesting things to watch and read. I devoured the information and explored every corner, and judging by the crowd, it was clearly the place to be. As the afternoon stretched on, however, the massive visitor’s center started to feel awfully small. The warm air felt stuffy, and the stuffed wild animals started to seem just – dead. The inspiring loop videos about extraordinary people who climbed the mountain weren’t as interesting the sixth and seventh times, and they made me wish I could be one of those actually climbing the mountain instead of reading about it. I felt bored, sleepy and small – and I missed my dad. I was totally stuck. Totally safe – but totally stuck.”
On their drive home, his dad and brothers had nothing but exhilarating stories to relate about their day spent conquering the mountain.
Gary finished his story:
“Truth be told – I went on the trip and missed the adventure.”
“In different times and in different ways, our heavenly Father offers us a simple proposition: Follow me beyond what you can control, beyond where your own strength and competencies can take you, and beyond what is affirmed or risked by the crowd – and you will experience me and my power and my wisdom and my love.”
Did you write this for me?
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