Our Mount Everest
“Sooner or later, every human meets their own Everest. Your mountain does not need to impress other humans for you to consider it sacred.” ~ Eka Mora
In my lifetime I sense I must have an entire mountain range. My Everest is loss. I understand that if one is alive, there will be loss. My cognitive mind comprehends this. Yet try to explain it to my heart which often resembles a washing machine on its spin cycle. Imagining how it cannot possibly contain more.
Can there be any advance preparation for our Everest? If one is actually climbing there most certainly would be. Strength, body, mind, and endurance training. Which supplies to take? Many relying on skilled Sherpas to assist them safely up and down the mountain.
What if Love steps in as our Sherpa? A power greater than ourselves traveling always by our side. A beloved we can request anything of, lean into, and trust is with us even when doubts fill us to overflowing.
Perhaps then more than ever.
By what name do we call upon this Everest experience? Several come to mind, not in any order of importance. Please add yours onto this ever growing mountain range. We are not alone in these steep climbs we are encountering.
Loss
Grief
Sorrow
Pain
Illness
Care Giving
Abuse
Loneliness
Abandonment
Addiction
Self Loathing
Depression
Racism
Homophobia
Ageism
Sexist and Patriarchal Ideologies
Cynicism
Hopelessness
We may encounter many Everest climbs within our life spans. Most likely we will. As a teenager, I envisioned that the loss of my parent’s marriage was absolutely the steepest mountain top I would ever be asked to climb. Becoming a shattering blow to my most tender and deeply feeling adolescent heart. I felt unmoored, cut adrift.
Unable to comprehend that it was most likely preparing my future self for what was on the horizon. A strengthening of my limbs, lungs, entire being was in process. So much of what I feared I could never carry alone, I wasn’t being asked to. Offering whatever Everest was in front of me over to Love. Asking to be shown what would be needed for my ascent. Most often it comes in as what I can set down to lighten my load. Not always an obvious decision for a recovering overly prepared white knuckle grip kind of traveler.
“It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” Sir Edmund Hillary
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I love this so much. Joanie. Metaphors are absolutely the best means to make sense of feelings sometimes too hard to find the words for. And these words extended the metaphor in a way which made me smile in recognition...
Asking to be shown what would be needed for my ascent. Most often it comes in as what I can set down to lighten my load. Not always an obvious decision for a recovering overly prepared white knuckle grip kind of traveler.
What a relief it is to discover that, sometimes, in doing less, we can achieve more.
Much love from a fellow recovering white knuckle traveler, I'm so glad we met on our personal Everests
Esther x
I’m adding rage, regret and low self esteem. Only love will see me though these things. As ever, insightful and poetic xx
Metaphorically, my Everests are loss and guilt-I failed my son. It will cover my lifetime to summit these Everests and I trek on with the power of love and forgiveness.
What a beautiful and accurate metaphor Joanie! I have had a few everests, that almost seemed clustered into one, steep cliff- addiction, abuse/assault, and depression. So grateful for the sherpa's of God's love to get me through it. I truly don't know how people live without the love and guidance our Higher Power provides for us. Thank you for sharing in such a heartfelt way. I resonate deeply! Love the picture of you and Don- you both look so happy and bright!!! Sending you so much love! I have a few clients who also experience loss as their everest that I will forward this too. XOXO