Mountains

It was early fall in Utah, and the weather was still warm. Brian and I had plans to hike Mount Timpanogos with some friends. I was pregnant, about 10 weeks along, and no one knew besides the two of us. I’d never hiked this particular mountain but had heard it was difficult. Undaunted, we woke up early and started hiking.

The beginning of the hike was lovely. The scenery was gorgeous, the weather was a little cool, and my confidence soared. I was feeling great! I was going to reach the summit, no problem. As we got further and further along the trail, the hike increased in difficulty. I kept walking. Several hours in, there was a point where I felt like I was climbing straight up. I had to stop and catch my breath every few minutes.

“I just need a little break,” I told Brian.

I think the rest of our group was frustrated with me. I was exhausted and needed to rest frequently. One time, as I leaned on the jagged rocks that stuck out from the mountainside, I heard footsteps from below. They weren’t just footsteps. Someone was running! I turned my head and saw a very fit man running up the mountain! RUNNING!! He was a mountain goat, leaping over rocks and other obstacles in his way. I couldn’t believe it!

How could he and I be climbing the same mountain? I was sitting, practically gasping for breath, and questioning all the life choices that had brought me to this moment—and he was bounding around the trail like Bambi?!

The answer is really simple.

People are different. There are things that are soooo hard for some of us but are incredibly simple for others. I did reach the top of Mount Timpanogos, but it was very challenging for me—especially for pregnant me. I took a lot of breaks and kept walking until I made it to the summit. Bambi, on the other hand, sprinted to the top. We both made it there, even though our experiences were vastly different.

Often, we like to compare ourselves to everyone else. We want to know why the mountain is so hard for us to climb and so easy for someone else. What is wrong with me? Or, we do the opposite and wonder why everyone else is having such a hard time sprinting up this mountain. I got here so quickly! What is wrong with them?

Both comparisons are judgmental and not useful.

We can do better.

In sports, a personal record or personal best is just that…personal. If you must compare, look at where you were versus where you are now. There are mountains in all of our lives. Just because someone is running while you are struggling with each step doesn’t mean you should quit. You keep going. In fact, the people who are running have nothing to do with you. You are the one hiking. This is your mountain, your life, and your hike.

We are striving to do our best. Truly, your best doesn’t involve anyone else on the trail. It’s about you and pushing yourself to be a little better every day. That’s it.

So keep climbing that mountain.

Your mountain.