Do Hard Things
Today, 14 of my friends hiked a mountain. Here are three thoughts I had while climbing:
- I thought it was going to be a small hill. As we began the trek, the sun started to beat down on our shoulders as the sound of scuffling feet filled the air. 30 minutes went by and I realized just how wrong I was. After about an hour we finally reached the precipice.
- Looking around, I couldn't help but stand in fascination at the city I'd been living in for a whole 11 months! I never saw the city at that perspective before. Perspective is always something I attain when I'm in nature. Something about the organic essence of itastounds me. If humankind wasn't on the planet, nature wouldn't be worse for it, it may actually be better. That, in and of itself, humbles me and what I do on a daily basis in context.
- We all had a wonderful discussion on that mountaintop. Before we headed down, we all took seven minutes to pray by ourselves. In that moment, I realized again how prayer is not a vending machine where I continually petition to God, but a dialogue of two beings who deeply love each other. A dance if you will.
Summary:
Even though all of this happened in my head, the fact that I was with some of my closest friends made it all the more beautiful and impactful. I think it's important to do things that are hard with your people. It not only builds character, but it builds relationships.
