In the silent still of a wounded night, a breathless chill breathes dawn's new light.
With the onset of Fall, I find myself nostalgic. Do you recognize the picture above? If I had to guess, I would venture to say that if you were going to picture a beautiful waterfall, it would be Niagara Falls. I have never been to Niagara. I have been on the bridge above that beautiful waterfall in the above photo. This is Parc de la Chute-Montmercy, just a few miles outside of Quebec City, Canada. It is 83 meters high which is 30 meters higher than Niagara (just to gain some perspective).
To experience this sight, I had to climb a mountain of stairs. I literally climbed a mountain to experience the falls. I want to say it was something like 350 steps but maybe that's just a number my brain conjured up because 80,000 seems a bit excessive and exaggerated doesn't it? It felt that way. By the time my team and I made it to the top of the mountain, we needed to rest. The whole purpose for that climb was to experience standing on that bridge and taking in the awe and wonder of Montmercy Falls. Instead, we made it to the top, a few stumbled off in search of that grand experience, unwilling to catch their breath, while the rest of us, rested.
It's ironic that our climb, our journey, our pressing onward to our goal resulted in waiting, just before the reward. How often in our lives do we push, reach, work and gain ground only to see our goal just beyond the horizon and then something happens to make us wait. Is this you right now? Are you in a "waiting" phase of life?
I can think of countless times over the years when it felt like something good was coming. Ok, well maybe it felt like something good better be coming because I couldn't take much more of the current. I suspect you may know this feeling. How much more can a person take? How much more am I supposed to withstand before I see my reward, my goal, my end in sight to the suffering?
If the above paragraph is hitting a little too close to home, please take heart. Just as my waterfall trek required me to wait, to catch my breath, to gain momentum to be able to enjoy my goal, so will your hurt, your pain and your discomfort reveal greater things to come. It may not be today, friend. It may take some time, but time produces patience and patience is one of those good things we all want, right? If there is aboslutely nothing that seems redeamable right now in your life, look for the bench. Just remember that one piece of advice: look for the bench. I've lost you, so here you go: halfway up the mountain to reach Montmercy Falls, was a bench.
Halfway to my goal, there was hope and there was rest. And do you know what's more? By the bench that was provided for my weary legs as I climbed the mountain, was a beautiful garden.
Halfway to my goal, there was hope and there was rest. And do you know what's more? By the bench that was provided for my weary legs as I climbed the mountain, was a beautiful garden.
Look for it, friend and I promise you will find it.
And just like that she realized that her struggle became her journey and her journey became her purpose.
Beautifully said Lindsey. I've heard about this trip from you a couple times before, but I had never heard the experience from this perspective, which was so neat to read. Is it at all cheesy that I can't help but sing "The Climb" after reading this? :) You are so right that there is much to be learned and gained from the journey itself. Thanks for taking me with you for a moment on the journey you had climbing up to the waterfall! <3 Lauren
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