Climb Every Mountain

This adventure goes by quickly. In a flash of light, we fly through our youth. Like a roaring tidal wave, we surf through early adulthood. In a whirling tornado, we soar through family and career development. We go on a vacation knowing we’ll be back on that plane returning home in a mere instant, followed by a vapor trail of memories.

Assuming most of us will not learn how to alter the notion of linear time, how do we make the most of each precious moment?

Do you remember the song “Climb Every Mountain” from The Sound of Music? The Reverend Mother belts out these moving lyrics: “Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, ‘til you find your dream.” The next verse follows: “A dream that will need all the love you can give, everyday of your life, for as long as you live.” The writers of these profound words, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein understood the adventure.

I can imagine you saying, “Yes, but how do I live my dream? I have a job. I have a family. For goodness sake, I have responsibilities!” The irritating reply would be, “Well no one said this Journey was going to be easy.” The more compassionate response is, “That’s your adventure!” Learn to transform your world daily via even the most mundane tasks: Find adventure in a smile and discover joy in the commonplace. Make pouring coffee into your art. Let washing dishes be your symphony. Greet your kids when they come home from school as your “greatest show on Earth.”

The “dream” in film is usually depicted by the hero going on a quest for the proverbial treasure, like landing the ideal job, making a financial fortune, or winning the unattainable mate. Soon after the hero achieves victory or faces a lesson-filled defeat, the credits role. Ah, but that’s when the true adventure begins! The bold Journey isn’t an Indiana Jones-style excursion in the Amazon or a trek through Nepal (for most of us). The true adventure is lived day to day: At a hurried breakfast with your spouse before racing off to work; sitting at your desk at work with a backlog of past due projects; focusing on the road while your kids fight in the backseat; preparing and serving dinner after a long day at work. It’s a daily adventure. What does Indiana Jones do after he thwarts the villain and attains his legendary archeological prize? He goes back to being a professor of archeology dealing with a room full of college students, answering questions and grading exams—that’s his true adventure.

A final thought: Nothing in the above should diminish a fundamental principle woven throughout all Impossible Journeys: You get to design the Journey. Perhaps we’re not reminded of this often enough. We are the conductors, the directors, and the navigators of each day. The quality of your experience in each moment is within your control.

Are you truly living your adventure?

Happy Journeys!
Scott Jeffrey