Looking up…
This past Saturday, Darren and I found ourselves alone in the house, and decided it wasn’t how we wanted to spend our holiday weekend, so we packed up the car and decided to go for a ‘little hike’. Well, we started at Fernwood Park in Layton and somehow decided it wouldn’t be so bad if we hiked on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and then up to Adams Falls. (My ankles are still screaming at me for that little decision!) We definitely realized we are not the ‘young-uns’ we thought we were! As we began trudging up some of the steeper terrain towards the falls, I found myself looking down a lot to avoid twisting my ankle or falling into little holes that were all along the way. There was more than one occasion where I ended up a hundred yards away from Darren to either the right or the left because I’d been so busy looking down at my feet, avoiding traps that way, that I’d forgotten to look up and follow his lead. Kind of embarrassing to have to hike down and catch up to him again as I’d realized my mistake, only after I’d been talking to myself for a few minutes, thinking he was in front of me! Poor Darren, having to stop and look back and realize his wife had strayed again…he’d just smile and wait for me to catch up to him again…
We kept thinking it was too hard and we should just turn and head back to the car…then we saw a couple – probably 80 years old, trudge up the hill and onto the waterfall. That was the kicker. There was no way we weren’t going all the way up then – we could have been bleeding and gasping for air. We weren’t going to let a couple of senior citizens show us up! We’re pathetic, I know!!! 🙂
Well, I learned a few things this weekend: Number One – I’m still in lousy shape…even after I’ve been out exercising five or six days a week for a month or so now. It’s not going to come back easy, and I’m looking forward to the day when I don’t ache after a ‘not-so-hard’ workout. Number Two – I need to look upward more often…and more than just literally. I am so busy looking down and trying to avoid the pitfalls and traps that lie and wait for me here, that I forget to look up often enough and remember where it really is that I am going. While it’s important to keep an eye to the ground and avoid what is down there, the ultimate goal is to follow my leader (in Saturday’s case – Darren…in life’s case – my Savior), who can safely take me where I want to be, if I’m looking ahead enough to follow him.
The end result was beautiful! I hadn’t hiked up Adams Canyon for years and I forgot the hike was worth the effort. It was crowded and noisy up there, but the falls were beautiful and it was full of happy souls who has just met their goal like we did (including the senior citizens couple!) I was so glad we didn’t turn around and give up. So, my analogy for life this week is to look down to stay safe and keep your footing, but don’t let that be the main focus. The goal is upward, the leader is upward, and the reward is definitely at the top. It’s all worth the hard work (and sore muscles) at the end!
The Old Folks Made It!
He conquers who endures – Persius
