A simple truth: “So many want to live at the top of the mountain, but few realize that the growth and happiness occur while you’re climbing it.”
On many a Saturday morning at the Farm, I would listen to the story of the Transfiguration. Now when I hear that story, my thoughts drift fondly to those ridiculously early mornings in the OC. And like I would then, I still smile at Peter’s excitement, at our shared humanity, when he exclaims: “Lord! It is good that we’re here!” In the immediate wake of his revelation is his intense longing to remain there, in that moment, with Jesus. I can almost see James and John gathering sticks for a celebratory bonfire J I’m sure we’ve all felt that way! When we catch a glimpse of our Lord transfigured, of Heaven on Earth, of the breathtaking view at the top and feel pure jubilation and wonder pulsing through our veins, of course we want to stay!!! Oh, but friends, we are called to live every step of the journey: up each precarious inch of the ascent, in amazement at the grandeur of the top, and down every reflective stride of the decent. And we are to keep this in mind: while our first mountain is no doubt a sacred part of our journey and a most enriching experience, that first mountain is never intended to be our only.
So, what did I learn from the Farm?
One of the most prominent truths I hold to is that I am called to live every one of my days just as intentionally as I did at the Farm. Certainly my days now are drastically different from my days at the Farm, but today is as much of a gift as were those days. These sights and sounds, painted and composed by the same Creator, are just as magnificent. The companions on this stretch of my journey are just as cherished by the Beloved and deserving of my patience, kindness and compassion. Truly, the point of a mountain isn’t to memorize it and recreate that experience everywhere and with everyone else. In living that way, we will most assuredly be disappointed in our days. Rather, the point is to take the lessons learned (to join in a fabulous game of hide and seek with the Beloved, to tread lightly on this gorgeous Earth with which we’ve been gifted, to see the face of Christ in those I encounter, and moreover, my inherent connection to each of those souls, to serve, to be lovingly honest, to pray, to give hugs, and to dance) and keep on keepin’ on.
I hope and pray that each of us can accept with grace the paths to which we are called and that we are able to make the trip learning and loving the aches and truths along the way. May we always be able to value the mountain behind us, and summon the tenacity to keep hiking J Happy trails, friends!
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