Never a Perfect Path

​My husband and I recently returned from Jasper, Alberta, Canada where we spent 6 days hiking through numerous paths in the Rocky Mountains.  We were in the home of elk, caribou, bear (black, brown, and grizzly) and cougar.  So with bear spray in hand and as sharp an eye as possible, we ventured forth into the wild and beautiful world of nature.  Our hikes were long,  5-9 miles each day, so there was a lot of time to think.  I found myself pondering the challenges of life and came to realize that there are a lot of similarities between taking on the hiking trail and taking on life!  One of them being this fact:

There is never a perfect path when seeking out fulfilling experiences. 

Steve and I desired gorgeous scenery, a sense of accomplishment, vigorous exercise, and the peace of nature as we commenced upon our journey.  And in one form or another, isn’t that what we all want in life? Peace?  New and positive experiences?   Achievement in areas where we haven’t achieved before?  

​  Before you say “NO”, think about it!

• Those recipes you’ve been wanting to try out for the past 6 months or more?
• That promotion you’re hoping will happen at your job?
• Want to start dating and meeting new people?
• A more satisfying marriage?
• A consistent  “ME” time.  Time to read, play, eat, pray, meditate?
• To FINALLY get up, and take charge of your paper work, your home, your children?
• To be a more organized parent, homeschooler?
• To have more direction and purpose in your life?
• To establish healthier boundaries between yourself and others.
• To lose weight?  Feel healthier? Gain physical and/or mental strength?

  
And the list goes on.  The common thread through all of these desires is that the path to achieving, JUST like the hiking trail, is not easy!  But, it is definitely possible, conquerable and well worth the challenge. 

To reach those fantastic panoramas of our lives, sometimes we have to venture into scary arenas, like facing our weaknesses and even scarier, making a commitment to change those weaknesses into strengths.  Like walking on the hiking path, barriers (stones) and unexpected events (tree roots), will trip us up, but we will have to suffer the trip because, of course, we don’t just QUIT!  No way! We learn from the experience and keep an eye out for future dangers as we persist on our journeys ahead. 

Awareness of problems that could get in our way helps us move on to the next step:  preparing for future attacks!  If this sounds like war, well it kinda is!! :)  Be ready,  so that when and if those blockers or barriers try to get in our way, we’re poised to either step aside, or hack through them (like those nasty picker bushes on a narrow part of the trail that can get right up in your face –they MUST be hacked!.)

​So this is one reflection on the hiking trail! Those breath-taking sceneries and desires of life are well worth the trouble.  The struggle and the sense of accomplishment is what make us feel as though we are TRULY alive!  And we ARE!!