The Rock Climber
Joe had a passion for rock climbing. He was popular as the best climber in his town and had scaled various peaks in the last few years. In fact his love for rock climbing earned him the nickname of Rocky!! He was also a thinker and philosopher, he would often spent his time in introspection and contemplation and in long discussions with other wise men about life and it's meaning.
Like most of us he too wanted life to be smooth. Who wouldn't like a stable and smooth life? Often he would find people, and himself too, cribbing about the various little problems in life. "Nothing ever goes smooth does it?", he thought to himself one day as he sat in his thoughtful mood, sipping a cup of hot coffee on a cool winter day . If there's health, there's illness. If there's job, there's office politics. If there's family, there are friction. If there are friends, there is misunderstanding and lack of time. If there's love there is jealousy. Nothing comes without its share of problems and these problems drain us of our positive energy and lead to frustration, he concluded. "Things must be smooth and a way must be found", he thought as he took the last sip of his coffee.
The following week was going to be a challenge for him. Joe was to attempt to climb a cliff deemed 'impossible to climb' by most climbers. Rocky was ready, his preparation was impeccable. He reached the sight early morning and started his ascend. Carefully placing his feet in the crevices on the cliff face, taking firm grip from the rocks protruding out he continued to rise and move up. At times when he did not find a crevice to put his foot in, he would use the cracks on the cliff wall to latch himself and using the ropes attached to the latch, swing himself to a distant ledge or crevice. His ascent continued till late morning.
More than half way there, his ascent came to a halt. The cliff upwards from there was smooth and solid rock. He tried to find some place to get a grip with hands or feet or some place to latch on with climbing hooks and ropes but all in vain. Tired, he descended to a ledge, big enough for him to sit. Sitting there he just looked up at the cliff and that's when the thought suddenly struck him. "These obstacles, the protruding rocks, the crevices, the cracks are so important for the ascent. They help get a grip and move up, the exact place where the rock became perfectly smooth, the ascent stopped", he thought. He just smiled in satisfaction as he had answered his own question from a week back. "The little obstacles, the challenges and the difficulties are what help us grow. They make us better, sometimes even beyond our own imagination. When life forces you to be strong, is when you realise how strong you can be. Every obstacle overcome gives more confidence and this confidence carries us higher and further than we think we can go. Without the challenges, there would be no growth as there would be no need to push oneself. Every obstacle is but a stepping stone that you must use to rise higher and become stronger", he thought as he started his descent. Even in failure he had learnt a lesson, the failure should be left behind but the lesson must be remembered forever.
Obstacles and challenges, other than helping us grow serve another important purpose, that of slowing us down. Sometimes we move ahead so fast that we may be at the risk of a mishap or an accident, obstacles are like speed breakers, which slow us down to save us from greater problems. Also sometimes we move ahead so fast that our loved ones get left behind. Slowing down helps us assess the situation and also helps them catch up. Progress alone is not progress at all, what's the point of reaching the top, only to realise, that you are all alone there?
Like most of us he too wanted life to be smooth. Who wouldn't like a stable and smooth life? Often he would find people, and himself too, cribbing about the various little problems in life. "Nothing ever goes smooth does it?", he thought to himself one day as he sat in his thoughtful mood, sipping a cup of hot coffee on a cool winter day . If there's health, there's illness. If there's job, there's office politics. If there's family, there are friction. If there are friends, there is misunderstanding and lack of time. If there's love there is jealousy. Nothing comes without its share of problems and these problems drain us of our positive energy and lead to frustration, he concluded. "Things must be smooth and a way must be found", he thought as he took the last sip of his coffee.
The following week was going to be a challenge for him. Joe was to attempt to climb a cliff deemed 'impossible to climb' by most climbers. Rocky was ready, his preparation was impeccable. He reached the sight early morning and started his ascend. Carefully placing his feet in the crevices on the cliff face, taking firm grip from the rocks protruding out he continued to rise and move up. At times when he did not find a crevice to put his foot in, he would use the cracks on the cliff wall to latch himself and using the ropes attached to the latch, swing himself to a distant ledge or crevice. His ascent continued till late morning.
More than half way there, his ascent came to a halt. The cliff upwards from there was smooth and solid rock. He tried to find some place to get a grip with hands or feet or some place to latch on with climbing hooks and ropes but all in vain. Tired, he descended to a ledge, big enough for him to sit. Sitting there he just looked up at the cliff and that's when the thought suddenly struck him. "These obstacles, the protruding rocks, the crevices, the cracks are so important for the ascent. They help get a grip and move up, the exact place where the rock became perfectly smooth, the ascent stopped", he thought. He just smiled in satisfaction as he had answered his own question from a week back. "The little obstacles, the challenges and the difficulties are what help us grow. They make us better, sometimes even beyond our own imagination. When life forces you to be strong, is when you realise how strong you can be. Every obstacle overcome gives more confidence and this confidence carries us higher and further than we think we can go. Without the challenges, there would be no growth as there would be no need to push oneself. Every obstacle is but a stepping stone that you must use to rise higher and become stronger", he thought as he started his descent. Even in failure he had learnt a lesson, the failure should be left behind but the lesson must be remembered forever.
Obstacles and challenges, other than helping us grow serve another important purpose, that of slowing us down. Sometimes we move ahead so fast that we may be at the risk of a mishap or an accident, obstacles are like speed breakers, which slow us down to save us from greater problems. Also sometimes we move ahead so fast that our loved ones get left behind. Slowing down helps us assess the situation and also helps them catch up. Progress alone is not progress at all, what's the point of reaching the top, only to realise, that you are all alone there?
Very well written Zeyd. Keep it up.
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