Isn’t It Ironic?

You know how you wait so long for something and you’re so excited waiting for it to happen that you can hardly stand it?

The big day arrives and the worst possible thing that could happen…happens.

So it was on my first solo hike. I had purposely chose the hike to Mt. LeConte to be my first solo so I could experience it’s beauty on my own, and prove to myself I could do it in the process.

The night before it rained, no POURED, the whole night long. The trail is rocky, steep, and difficult on it’s own, I didn’t need the rain to make it any more difficult. Thankfully, the forecast was for a gorgeous day, so I wasn’t too worried…until I started up to the trailhead.

As I made the journey up the road this is what I was met with…..

Fog  Lots and LOTS of thick fog.

Wonderful… here I was hiking to one of the most beautiful places on earth and I wasn’t even going to be able to see where I was going, much less any views. Surely this would lift by the time I got to the top?!?!?!?!!??!

Halfway up the 5.5 mile trail up I didn’t see much lifting… in fact, it appeared to be getting thicker and more abundant. I could hardly see what lied ahead of me.

My enthusiasm was stating to go down hill pretty quick.  What good was it to be doing this if I couldn’t enjoy the beauty I was in?

It was at that moment a fellow hiker appeared out of the mist.

“Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?” he asked with the excitement of a child.

“I can’ see anything for this fog!” I shot back.

“Ahh, I know.  There is beauty in it!  You just have to look more closely!”

And with that, he shot past me and was gone just as quickly as he came.

It was then I started taking notice of my surroundings. The fog actually WAS beautiful as it hung onto the trail.

I had been so busy whining about it that I had failed to notice it.

The higher I climbed the thinner the fog did finally get. In fact it wasn’t long until I was actually ABOVE the fog.

I guess being at almost 6,600 feet high will do that to ya.  🙂

By the time I reached the top, the sun was shining, and the day was the most BEAUTIFUL day I had ever seen. I was reminded that every obstacle and challenge we face is TEMPOARY.

Sure there is going to be rain. Sure there is going to be fog. But ultimately the sun is going to come up and shine clearing up the dreariest and darkest of days.

No, my views weren’t perfect that day. The fog and clouds kept me from seeing miles and miles of beautiful mountains, but they offered me something much more important,

A chance to see that there is indeed beauty in everything…even in the fog.

Now isn’t that ironic.  🙂

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