One step at a time is how I finished.
While we were vacationing at Colter Bay in the Grand Tetons, we went on a beautiful hike at Jenny Lake. To get there, we took a one-way boat ride across the large, blue body of water. After crossing said lake, we hiked up to Hidden Falls; a roaring waterfall that misted you with its cold water as it cascaded down the rocks. After eating a pack lunch, we prepared for the hike that would take us around the lake and back to our awaiting vehicles. We had made this same trek 3 years ago and were itching to do it again.
We followed the signs that pointed back to the parking lot. But it was not as we remembered. Walking along the water’s winding edge, enjoying the cool air from the water, and watching boats take eager hikers back and forth, was what we were expecting. But we were hiking up. And up. And up some more. At some point, the trail had to go back down to meet the lake, right?
The views were incredible: the vast, blue lake, the lofty pine trees, the craggy Tetons towering next to us. It was the perfect opportunity to take in the beauty that was around and appreciate Mother Nature and all she has to offer. But, an hour passed, and as we continued to ascend the mountain on this trail, a trail that the boat driver said would only take about 30 minutes, my thoughts were turning from the beauty that surrounded us to wondering when this was going to get easier.
We would get to the top of a climb and would think that this has to be the top, only to go around a bend, and see another climb awaiting us. I put my head down and trudged forward. As I’m looking down, I notice the footprints of the hikers that have hiked before us and it got me thinking, if they were able to do this, so can I. Many people have hiked that same hike, and they made it to the end.
Needless to say, we made it back to the boat dock. It was a beautiful hike, even though it was completely different from what we were expecting. As we approached the end, we came across an intersecting trail that headed back towards the waterfall. This had to be the trail along the lake’s edge that we remembered. The trail was closed for reasons unknown to us and you were not allowed to enter.
Since returning home, I’ve thought a lot about this hike and the parallels that it plays in my, and maybe your, life. We can have a trial, or a mountain, in front of us that seems too steep to surpass. These trials or events can big or small, long or short. Finishing school, infertility, loss, family troubles, job challenges, parenting, addiction, mental health, physical health, financial struggles, and the list goes on. The end goal, the peak of the mountain, can seem so far away. But if we focus on the present, and take it just one step at a time, while keeping that end goal in mind, I find it a lot easier to get to the top. We’ve tackled some of the trials I just mentioned; some of them we’ve made to the top, others we’re currently foraging ahead on.
Hindsight is 20/20 and if I were to go back and do this hike again, I would try not to let the negative thoughts overcome me and just let myself enjoy the beauty that was around us. Flowers were blooming, birds were chirping, the breeze slightly blowing, with family near me. How often during a trial do we forget to see the beauty that continues to surround us? Are we so focused on the hard times that we don’t forget to appreciate the goodness around? There was a point during our infertility journey that I let it consume it. The trail felt too steep, I couldn’t see the end, and I let negativity overwhelm me. Through a series of events, I had a change of heart, that paradigm shift that Brady previously talked about, happened inside of me. Instead of focusing on what I didn’t have, I began to see again all that I did have, and I allowed myself to be happy. We weren’t yet at the top of our infertility mountain, but changing my perspective and my attitude on it, made the trek a heck of a lot easier.
We’re currently hiking the “finishing school” mountain, and some days, it’s really not a fun one. As Brady recently reached the halfway point, I feel the victory soon approaching. He has worked so incredibly hard to complete this goal. Some days, some weeks, some semesters, are really hard. Working three jobs, going to school full-time, and spending time with family, can become a balancing act, one that he’s figuring out. But I’m grateful for this trail we’re slowly hiking. It could be worse. It could be one of those craggy Teton Mountains; he could still have four more years. I’ll gladly take this trail.
If you’re going through something that feels like it’s going to overcome you, stop for a minute. Do you know what your goal is? If you don’t, find out what it is that you want to accomplish. If you feel that this mountain is defeating you, take a minute to look at the good and the beauty that surrounds you. It won’t necessarily make your path easier, but it will help you feel better. Set your sights on your goal. It’s up to you to determine how you’ll get there. And take a step up, one at a time, and eventually, you’ll reach the top. Just like I did.
-Marcel