SOUTH AFRICA

finneys@mweb.co.za

Climbing a mountain

The sun has come out through the clouds... I have this feeling.... to
take off my shoes.... and to walk up the mountain... the mountain in the
distance...

I feel like to unclip my hair, let it fall free in its curly mop down my
back... feeling the wind play through it.... tugging at it....

I feel to walk up the mountain... the most difficult path... to clamber
with my hands and feet, to feel the earth and rock under them. Pulling
myself from ledge to ledge as I see myself getting higher and higher...

I feel to breathe heavy... to cleanse from within... to have my body
rule over my heart... my mind... feeling the agility of my body as I
climb... higher and higher...

I feel the grazing of me knee against a rock as I slip... feeling it
bite into my flesh... I bite my lip until I taste the saltiness of the
little mark my teeth left...

I feel to continue, not stopping for a moment, need to push on....
higher and higher.... to reach that blue sky... where the air is fresh
and my soul will find peace....

I feel the wind grow colder as it wraps around my body, must keep
moving... just keep moving. The air in thinner, breathing heavily...
perspiration down my face, my palms, my back... this is torment of the
body.... this climb of mine...

One wrong step and I could fall.... slip to the darkness below.... I
hold on, climbing steadily... sure-footed... resting once to look at the
vista as I round another corner... eager eyes scanning the distance for
the peace I so desire...

My hands, my feet, working in unision, a team, one body and one mind....
God's gift to me.... I feel my body tire.... but the top is so close...
cannot stop now, the end is near.... must push on...

The last agonizing steps... foot over hand, croaching and leaping like a
mountain deer, this is what I become as I reach the peak, my goal...
never giving up...

I reach the top.... my hands to the heavens... praising God for his
Victory over my weakness for becoming my feet and hands in motion...

I look across at the world below... so small and insignificant at the
time.... for the vista where the oceans meet land are truly
spectacular... this is God's land...

My hands are raw, my feet are blistered.... but the pain means nothing
for the Lord has won over my Soul... these hands and feet bear the scars
of the life I have led....

The wind against my body, my hair in flight.... my hands are open....
arms high above me.... outstretched.... grabbing life and this victory
in it... holding it close... The cold air delights my skin and I lift
my face to the heavens gasping at the thrill of freshness that folds
around it.. I have found my peace...

This is how I feel everytime I walk up the mountain, challenging myself,
accepting nothing less than the best from all that I have.... to climb
and free myself of any stress.... pain.... and once at the top, to
praise the Lord for all that I have... in awe of the vista below and
stretching beyond where the eyes can reach....

© Copyright, Lisa Finney.
All Rights Reserved. Printed By Permission.