When I was hiking in Lapland last month, I got into a fight with a mountain.
It was an unfair fight, as the mountain had gravity on its side and I was carrying an unexpectedly overstuffed pack. Despite the circumstances, however, I would say that I won. Not because I did any significant damage to the mountain–I am not a force of nature by any definition of that term–but because I kept going.
After a pause to confirm that nothing broke when the bridge of my nose slammed into a rock (many thanks here to wearing glasses, which saved my face from worse damage), I got up and continued. Wobbly, yes, but determined to reach our camping spot. Which, as it turned out, was totally worth it.
I developed some lovely black eyes over the next few days, but there were no mirrors to see them in.
There are races in life without a clear finish line and opponents that may, like the mountains, be nigh impossible to topple. Winning, then, is in continuing to meet the challenges thrown at you in whatever way you can.
I’m trying to take that lesson as my souvenir from the trip. Even when you lose, you are only beaten if you stop climbing, stop striving. (Unless, of course, the goal isn’t worth the struggle, but that’s a story for another day.)
Here’s hoping that I can apply that attitude to the mountain of learning French. (Ne parlez pas du Fight Club!)
Numberless Dreams 