09.30.08
Down the Mountain
My GPS read 1.96 miles directly to the bottom of the mountain. Descending from 8100 ft elevation to 6000 ft elevation would be steep and challenging but it sounded much more appealing than a three hour hike on a proven trail. Thinking of how much time we could save instead of the normal 6 mile hike brought a smile to my face. Against my better judgment, my ten year old son, Noah, and I set out. The first mile was rather easy but the feeling of elation quickly evaporated as we encountered a wall of Manzanita that seemed impassable. Slowly and methodically we had to weave our way down game trails then backtrack when the path became to dangerous. At one point, Noah was frustrated as he stood waist deep in brush that tangled around his legs. He was ready to quit. I was irritated and a bit concerned too but there was no turning back. We had to complete the task. I empathized but told him, “Noah, we don’t have any other options here. I know this is frustrating and we shouldn’t have come this way but now we are committed and our only way out of this is down. There is no going back.??? Three and half hours later, scratched, bruised and exhausted, we arrived at the bottom of the mountain. As we finished the short walk to the truck, Noah and I agreed, we could add this to our list of things never to do again and that the shortest way isn’t always the easiest.
I told that story to offer some insight on the current U.S. financial situation and life in general. The situation is much more complex than I could ever hope to understand and it is serious. But in the midst of a terrible and frustrating ordeal, few leaders have emerged. What have emerged are politicians from both political parties attempting to assign blame and people predicting the end of the world as we know it.
At this point, we have to get down the mountain. It isn’t pleasant and the options are limited. So let’s act like adults and start fixing the problems. That is what has set America apart from other countries and economies for over two centuries. As American’s we need to regain that frontier spirit that realizes we can overcome adversity. Instead of allowing the course of our lives to be dictated by what we read, watch or listen to in the news, let us determine to set our own course and create our own destiny. It was Zig Ziglar who once said, “ I’ve decided not participate in the recession.??? Until recently, I have always thought that was a nice sound byte but a little far from reality. But I have realized that it is our attitude that determines whether or not we are going to crawl into a dark hole and wait for the end of time or get on the trail, take the branches hitting us in the face and sticks stabbing our legs and make it to our final goal. Let us stay focused on where we are going. No it will not be fun and yes it will be painful, but we are descendants of a people with a pioneer spirit that have endured far worse. And after enduring far worse, they enjoyed unimaginable personal, spiritual and social success.
Regards,
Brian Boek
Permalink Comments off
