We have all seen the classic Hannah Montana movie when Miley was all cute and country! Hopefully I’m not the only one when I say that I belt this song in the shower when it’s before bed and all the feels flood through your pores. Sometimes you just need a little Hannah Montana pick-me-up, I mean, “nobody’s perfect.” ;)
Anyway, this past summer my fellow travelers and I were so blessed to have the opportunity to experience the island of Taiwan and the beauty the island has to offer. After looking at images for ideas for what to do in our free time, there was no question that Elephant Mountain was our very first priority. Elephant Mountain is also known as Nangang District Hiking Trail. This gem just outside of Taipei city and is a steep 600 feel high mountain side trail where it usually takes people 60 to 150 minutes to climb- which by the way, is a steep “upward battle.”
I was so incredibly blessed to have previously gone to Mexico, where I climbed the pyramid of the Sun and the pyramid of the Moon- and I thought that was bad! But in both places, once we got up there, our bloody knees, racing hearts and exhausted legs didn’t matter anymore because of the incredible view at the top and the sense of accomplishment that flooded throughout my veins. At that point, whether it be the summit or the pyramidion, nothing in the world mattered. It was almost as if the vertigo, aching knees, wheezing lungs, and all of the little things that I am all too good at overthinking and worrying about vanished and all symptoms were depressed by the oozing adrenaline . Of course on the whole entire climb I couldn’t feel my toes, my feet felt like dragging bricks and my oxygen level felt like I was at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Sometimes that’s what life feels like for me, and many others. We have our highs, definitely our lows and the steadiness in between . But by pushing through the pain and adversity, I have made it to the summit. However, sometimes that summit is just the beginning altitude of a whole other range of mountains . Some give up, but some persist and only then will you realize somewhere between the very bottom of the climb and the summit which kisses the clouds, is the reason why the climb is so worth it.
It can oh so easily feel as if you are going absolutely nowhere during the climb and the routine of redundancy ultimately takes over and the next step just seems so impossible. From my experiences, the greatest view comes after the hardest climb. Step after step I thought I was going to be stuck there forever- and never be able to make it to the top and have to go all the way back because it seemed as if I was getting nowhere. Or better yet, day to day when nothing changes but you look back a year later and everything is different and you accomplished so much without even the slightest realization. We each have our own mountain to climb and goes the saying “faith can move mountains.” The slightest bit of faith in yourself can make all the difference. I know when I was climbing I went ahead of some of the group and sometimes they got ahead of me. But that’s okay. Everyone climbs their mountain at their own pace- none being right or wrong, as long we believe in ourselves to make it to the top.to enjoy the view. “It is not the mountain we conquer- but ourselves.” -Edmund Hillary
Ultimately, my hope for all you lovely humans reading this, is that you will not only climb mountains- but you will move them and recognize the range of mountains that you were able to conquer.
There’s always gonna be another mountain
And you should believe that you can make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes we are going have to lose
Ain’t about how fast we get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb.
HCXO,
Alexandra