Up until the last minute I had considered not going, feeling a bit unsure if I could hack it in my current 'lack of energy state'. But in the end I decided I didn't want to miss out and thought i'd be fine......
Oh how I was wrong. Oh so wrong. After a slow 2 hr descent with my sister Emma while the dads raced ahead with the kids, we made it down to the river and spent the next 4 hours playing, swimming, boating and relaxing. We had such a great time. And being outside always makes for a great dynamic between our kids (or in other words: fresh air + open space = no fighting, making it enjoyable for both kids and parents :)
OK now here comes the part about 'life' and 'near death experiences'......
I knew the ascent was going to be hard. It was hard for me just going down. but I tried to 'mentally' prepare myself for the 'climb out' and our family left a bit earlier so we (I) wouldn't hold the others up.....
And man it was hard. Harder than I thought. Never mind the 40 degree day with the burning sun, or the fact that our water ran out pretty quickly, it was hard. And it got us talking about all kinds of analogies while on that track.
One of them was life.
Sometimes we start out thinking "no worries, a 7 1/2 k hike, I can do that". But once we're there, once we've started, we realise that it's not quite as easy as we thought. And regardless of how hard it is we have to keep going. We have to trust that we can do it and that Heavenly Father is there helping us and giving us strength. So when we think we can't go on any further, We can. We have to, or we'll never make it to the top of whatever 'mountain' it is we're climbing.
And even though the hike was RIDICULOUSLY hard in some parts, there were still 'tender mercies' along the track. They came unexpectedly. but were so welcomed. After a really steep climb, all of a sudden there would be a flat easy part of the road. giving us a few moments of relief before the next rise. Before the next hard part came.
And isn't that just like life sometimes. Even amidst the 'hard parts' there are still tender mercies along the 'road' that help us through. Giving us momentary relief.
And as we take each step (even if they're only tiny little steps at a time) each one gets us a little closer to the 'end'. The end of whatever it is we want to finish. For us it was the end of a 'simple' hike. But sometimes it's something much harder than a hike. It's life.
But when 'it's' over, when we reach the destination, wherever that is, the end result is the same! Elation that it's done. Finished. The end. And I can't tell you how ELATED we were when we finally made it to the top!
Now despite referring to our 'little' hike as 'the near death experience', I don't regret going! Chad and I were both so happy that as a family we did something hard together. REALLY hard.
Lots of analogies were made amongst us on the track. All of them coming back to the same point. Sometimes things are hard. But if we never give up and keep 'climbing to the top', trusting in Heavenly Father, the 'hardness' will eventually pass and we'll be left stronger and better.
How grateful I am that we could share this with our kids and they got to experience the feeling of 'elation' at the top of that 'mountain' first hand. Everyone was so EXHAUSTED but so happy with what we had done!
POST SCRIPT: I have to say, Rylan and Zahn were champs. Serious Champs. (all the kids were) Rylan led the whole time and I didn't hear him complain once. And not only did he not complain, he was totally motivating the others too! I was a proud mumma as I watched him push himself the way he did (because physically he doesn't always do this)!
.jpg)
