Hope

Hope is something that we all need, at least it is something that I need. It seems that the harder I try to become what I truly want to become the more desperate my cause begins to look in my eyes. Hope is a motivator, a way to fuel your drive to carry on. Though unseen, it can be nearly tangible in those who possess it. Those with a seemingly endless supply of hope are the people that we drift toward in our times of trouble. Sometimes we lend that hope to others, sometimes we are the ones in need.

On a recent Tuesday, I had the chance to climb to the peak of one of the tallest mountains in Utah. I had high hopes that the weather would be nice, all the people we had invited would come, and to we would be able to finish in a reasonable amount of time. 

The ascent was cool, not to the point of unpleasant since we were moving at a good clip. At that pace it seemed like the miles would just drift away behind us. My friend had decided not to bring a jacket and since she looked cold I loaned her mine. As we climbed the clouds began to thicken into a horizon stealing fog. We had spatters of rain and the clouds swirled in the mountain wind. The temperature slowly dropped as we gained altitude. 60, 55, 50, 45...

Forty five degrees really isn't too cold, when you're dry, but with the mist and the rain my enthusiasm was beginning to wane. I was cold, but still determined to reach the peak. My body was really feeling the consequences of the exertion now. My hands were swollen, my breath labored as the air thinned toward the peak. My steps slowed and sometimes stopped altogether as I caught my breath, holding the rough rock wall to keep from tumbling down the way I had come, but I had hope. I had climbed this mountain before, I knew it was within the range of my abilities, at least it had been once. 

With nothing but hope and strength of willpower I trudged the last 100 yards to the peak. My hopes had been realized! I had made it! Unfortunately, the peak is the halfway point in a hike like ours and soon the time came to turn back, leave the peak, and brave the rain and the cold once again.

The peak had been the point at which I had directed my hopes for the hike and once we had reached that point I turned somewhat relieved, somewhat reluctant to head back. My shirt and shorts, heavy from the rain and chilled by the wind began to drain my positivity away as we trudged back along the path we had just come. The increase in rain, compounded by an upset stomach began to taint my hope-filled vision of what the hike was supposed to be. I walked in silence. I focused on my aching knees, my swollen hands, and the cold and lost the smile I had when the day began. 

However, a new source of hope entered my mind, something to look forward to, the heater in the car waiting at the far end of the trail. The hope and desire to have that warmth fueled my haphazard steps as I moved down the winding, sloping path. Exhausted, we arrived at the car and enjoyed the warmth as we headed back to civilization.

What did I learn about hope from all of this? I learned that you can't hope for only peaks, you have to hold onto hope until your entire journey is complete. Hope that is misguided can be even worse than having no hope at all. The key, in my eyes, is to always remember the end goal, and hope for it. Focus on the peaks along the way to give you strength to move forward, but never think that you can stay on the peak forever. At some point we all have a descent from the grand moments in life to find that the simplest things can hold an equal share of joy and accomplishment. 

To have peaked was an accomplishment in its self, but to return from that peak with head held high and a smile on my lips was an accomplishment greater still. Hope til the end, hope for all that is good. Help others to hope for better things to come. 

What peak are you climbing towards?

Thanks for reading.