On my ride home from school on the bus today, I was reminded of an experience I had years ago. I was staying at my sister’s house, and had gone out for a run because at the time, she lived by some great pathways. I started my run, and planned out my route in my head, figuring it would go a certain way. As I went up one street, I realized too late that this was in fact a major hill. From further back, it just seemed slightly steep, but nothing to worry about. But the further I got, the more I realized it was something to worry about. At this time in my life, I was pretty fit, so I actually made it up the hill unscathed. There have been other times where the same thing has happened and I have made it to the end, and others where I have given up because either my legs or my lungs just couldn’t take it.
There have been a few times in my life where I have been given a task that seemed doable from a distance. I couldn’t see the difficulties that would arise, nor could I have guessed that there would be moments along the path that I would find it impossible to continue. During some of those moments, I have persevered, knowing that the act of “running up that hill” would lead to me something greater, and in the end make me stronger. But, just like those times when I gave up the run on the hill, I have given up on tasks in life because they were too difficult at the time, and I was too weak in my present state to continue.
I am running back up one of those hills right now, and it is not an easy one to face. Once again, from far away, even after experiencing it and giving up, I thought it couldn’t be that hard. But as I get further along the path, I’m realizing that the weaknesses that I dealt with before are still there, even if I am even just the slightest bit stronger now. I guess that’s the important thing that I’m learning. Weaknesses don’t just disappear when you refuse to acknowledge them. Weaknesses can only become strengths when you put them to the test and overcome them. Definitely easier said then done, I know that. But, with as much MacLean grit as I can muster, I am going to get up that hill. Just one step at a time.
