In my home state there is a mountainous rock formation called ‘The Pinnacle’. When I was very young, we would sometimes go there, just to look out over the countryside and marvel at the beauty of our state.
Some years later I went back with some friends, just to enjoy the view once more.
At that point in my life, I was wildly out of shape; I smoked a lot and I’m fairly sure that I partied a little too heartily most of the time. The path leading to the overlook wasn’t necessarily a difficult one to navigate, but it was quite steep. My fellow hikers zoomed on ahead without me, and slowly I trudged along, wheezing and sweating profusely and cursing my stupid lungs.
Finally, as I approached the last few yards of path that led to the ancient rock outcroppings that make such an amazing overlook, I felt an overwhelming sense of joy. I had made it to the top, and would soon be rewarded with an amazing scene.
The view was marvelous and as I caught my breath and mopped at my sweaty brow I looked out over the world and was moved by the sheer, wild beauty of it.
The Pinnacle is not the most difficult hike I’ve ever done, nor is it the longest. However, in a little over five miles, the elevation leaps up over one thousand feet, so most of the hike up to the top is steep and requires a certain level of durability. While five miles is a pretty nominal distance, even for an inexperienced hiker, the seemingly endless upward slant can make for an extremely difficult walk.
As a friend of mine from back then used to say, “If you wanna see the view, you’ll have some hiking to do.” He was right, but oh, was it worth it to slog up that hill and spend a hazy afternoon gazing out over that amazing country scene.
Our current favorite hike is a lot less intense than the Pinnacle in many ways. There are a few steep inclines and one or two longer hills that require a good bit of determination to get through. And while there isn’t a breathtaking view like the Pinnacle has, so to speak, during the winter, when all the leaves are down, you can peer through the trees and look out over the surrounding ancient mountains and see the tiny farms nestled in among the shoulders and knees of the old hills.
However, the part of any hike that really always impacts me is how easily we forget that our goals and dreams are just a series of steps; simply putting one foot in front of the other, as the old song says, and you can get there.
Our good friends are getting ready to open a brewery here in our little city. And while it is exciting to think about all the future has in store for these two intrepid young men and their great beer, it is amazing to think that this whole promising business venture started as an idea shared among a group of close friends.
I imagine the scenario as follows, though I doubt that it is completely accurate. A few gentlemen, each who love beer, are sitting around a table discussing, as men sometimes do, how awesome it would be to have a brewery in Asheboro. And the idea could’ve fizzled right then and there, and been nothing more than a wistful vaporous fantasy that was never accomplished, if it weren’t for a little determination.
Now, a few short years later, the dream is rapidly spreading its roots into brick and cement, glass, clay, leather and beer. All because two folks inspired an entire community by not giving up, when the elevation overtook the distance.
Today, as they trudge doggedly across the last few yards before the overlook, the work that it has taken, the determination, the sweaty, wheezing, hazy hours of slogging uphill seem like a walk in the park. The first major leg of their hike is over, but there are plenty more overlooks to get to, and lots more hills to climb. The funny thing about hiking and following your dreams is that once you’ve arrived at your first destination, you can’t wait to move on to the next.
So, whether you’re an entrepreneur, an artist, a musician, a government official, a teacher, a preacher, a student, a writer or a couple of folks with a dream, please don’t give up when the hills get steep. Don’t give up when the heat of the day and the length of your journey begin to weigh you down. Just keep trudging along. Put one foot in front of the other, because dreams can and do come true. It just takes a little determination.
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