The thrill of climbing a mountain is enticing. It is a beautiful view. A challenge and an accomplishment.
Mountaintops are a beautiful arena of life. From there, we can see long distances. We can be awed by the big picture as well as the intricacies. We can enjoy the vast panorama of possibilities.
When we use a mountain as a metaphor, we usually think of the summit as the finish line. But it isn’t, really. The end of the mountain is not the top of it. Nobody climbing a high mountain finishes a successful journey on the summit.
There are no cities on the peaks of the world’s highest mountains. It is not meant to be a permanent destination.
We are fortunate to encounter experiences that awe and inspire us. These spiritual highs are like physical mountains; a successful journey ends when we descend. The sights from the mountaintop can serve to inspire us and to bring us joy and hope. But the practical application of what we gain from the mountaintop occurs in the valleys and on the plains.
If our reaction to coming down from the mountain is disappointment, we need a shift in perspective. The opportunities of learning and transformational growth require a variety of terrains. Humans can’t live on high mountains, we can only visit for a short time or they become deadly. But the snow collected on the high mountains bring rivers of life to the valleys and plains.
When we choose a true perspective about life’s spiritual mountaintops, they too provide rivers of life-giving refreshment for our everyday lives.