Would you agree with this statement? — “Life is a series of ups and downs.”
If you are like 99.99% of people you agree with that sentiment. You’ve had some amazing moments (ups), but you’ve also experienced some painful ones (downs).
We intuitively know that life is a series of ups and downs but somehow we are always surprised by the “downs.” We wish life was all up, up, up without any downs.
The problem with a life of all “ups” is that your best growth doesn’t happen on the mountain tops. Instead it’s found in the valleys or the “downs.”
I’m a goal-oriented person and a couple years ago I thought it would be a great idea to become a “46er.” New York has 46 mountain peaks that are over 4,000’ in elevation. If you climb all of them you join an exclusive club called the 46ers. The really crazy ones will do it all over again, but during winter!
So as I embarked on accomplishing this new goal I roped in a couple of guys to join me in tackling 3 peaks in one weekend. At that pace we would be finished before summer was over. When we finally got to the top of the first peak I looked at my buddies and said, “I’m out. This isn’t for me. Just send me the pictures when you get to the top of the other two. I’ll meet you at the pond.” I wasn’t cut out to be a 46er!
My plan was to go back down and camp near the pond we passed and fish for brook trout. My buddies, a little too joyfully, told me that I was turned around and the trail leading to our car was in the other direction. I had to hike over the next two mountains to get to it! What was worse was the next mountain was the second highest peak in all of New York! I had the time of my life that weekend! To this day I’ve only finished 3 of the 46 and I’m perfectly fine with my record.
As we were climbing I noticed a sign I had never seen anywhere before…
Notice how the sign described the plants growing at the top of the mountains… “rare, fragile, endangered.” The best growth didn’t happen on the mountain tops or the “ups.” Instead the mighty oaks were to be found at a much lower altitude. The best growth happened “down” in the valleys.
I’ve never met someone who loved their “downs” but I’ve met plenty of people that would say their greatest gains came from their greatest pains.
If you find yourself today in a “down” take heart! You’re in the same environment where the mighty oaks grow!
