A couple of weeks ago, I talked about the mountains and valleys of life, how we find both during our life journey, and that we should allow ourselves to open our arms to not only accept help when we are in the valley, but to also extend them up in an offer of help to others when we find ourselves atop the mountain in an effort to assist in raising them up.

What is it about mountains that cause us to use them so often when referring to life? Why has man always sought to scale them?

Mountains symbolize vision, the ability to rise above the lowlands and see beyond our immediate vicinity. Mountains, even from a distance, remind us of how small we are in the grand scheme of things. Important, yes, but a small part in the big picture.

Mountains allow us perspective and force us to look at things comparatively. Looking up at a majestic mountain we feel miniscule, but believe that if we accept the challenge to climb it, we will be a better person for doing so.

Many individuals have climbed mountains in order to connect with a  higher source  of understanding and many have come back down feeling stronger and wiser. Mikao Usui, of Usui Reiki fame, is an example of that. Yes, climbing a mountain does take skill, fortitude, patience, planning, inner and outer strength, and I’m sure many other attributes that an actual mountain climber like myself is not aware of. The climb to the top of the real mountain, just like life’s mountain, is not easy, but once we reach the pinnacle, Voila!!

From the top of the mountain we are able to witness life from a new, different perspective. Cities and masses of people seem little and minute when observed from such a vantage point and big problems now look insignificant. But the only thing that has really changed is one’s vantage point, one’s perspective. They are the same people, same you, same cities, same mountain - only now the vantage point is from above.

Whether we are at the mountain top or the valley in life, our perspective is easily tainted accordingly. The challenge to us all is to view the world with the proper perspective wherever we are on the mountain and to not forget the journey up and the others at its starting point in the valley, just one wrong step below. Life is what we make it and how we look at it.

Perspective: According to a local citizen, the best place to view a sunset is the parking lot at Save-A-Lot. It’s all in one’s perspective. How do you see the world? Where is your favorite place to view a sunset? Perspective Mountain?

Blessed Be!

I really like the way you put the message in this. I like how you compared viewing the sunset and one's perspective as well.
I am enjoying reading these.
:):)