I sipped my coffee and imagined what it would be like to stand on that peak. Of how I would feel after making the climb and how great the view must be from up there. It did not take me long to decide I wanted to climb that mountain. In fact I finished my coffee, broke camp, and quickly packed up my things to head for it right away. The mountain was very tall and very far away, I had no idea how long it would take me to even reach the foot of it. But that did not matter, I did not care how tall or how far away that mountain was because I knew I had to climb it. I belonged on top of that mountain. So I began walking, starting my journey toward the mountain.

Along the way I started to acquire things that caught might eye. One by one I added them to my load as my journey went on. I also noticed things along the path that required small detours so that I could be entertained by them. Some days I did not even look at my mountain.

One afternoon I noticed another mountain. It looked taller and more impressive than the mountain I noticed at the beginning of my journey. Without much thought I changed direction and headed toward the newly discovered mountain. It was really far away and in a new direction but I just knew it was really the mountain for me. Thus a new journey began.

This new path also had many interesting things for me to pick up along the to stuff into my pack. So much so that I had to add smaller packs and pouches to contain all the trinkets I was acquiring. My pace slowed as the burden grew.

On a late afternoon I spotted a whole new mountain range. And it was in that range I saw the perfect peak, even better than the first two. Again I changed my path so that I could head to the new mountain. The first one that caught my eye was completely forgotten.

I can not remember how long I’ve been doing this. Wondering around in the low plains from place to place being pulled by mountain top after mountain top. I keep switching mountains because I am afraid if I commit to one mountain I will miss out on something another mountain has to offer. But now long into this journey of going in circles I am awakening to the fact that I have never been to the summit of a single mountain. Decades of mountain chasing and not a single mountain caught.

It is not just other mountains that distract me but also things along the path as well. The trinkets and the jesters that pull me from the path. At times I forget I am even trying to get to a mountain. And then there are the people who tell me I am crazy to even want to climb a mountain. They speak of dangers and impossibility. Their talk slows me down.

The really strange thing is that through all this I can some how maintain the illusion of progress. For so long I’ve felt that I am moving towards a mountain but after all this time all the mountains I have sought still remain in the distance. I am still down here in the flat and safe plains. I still can’t tell you what the view is like from the top of a single mountain.

But for all my wondering the mountains still catch my eye. Even though I have yet to reach a peak I still believe I can and I something in me knows I am meant to. As I write this my eyes are fixed on a peak, a mountain in the distance. One that I am moving towards everyday now. And this time I am going to get to that summit or die trying. Even if I see other more attractive mountains I will keep moving towards this one, I will keep it in front of me.

Now I also work to lighten my load. To drain my pack of anything that does not help me get to the top of that mountain. Detours are not an option, it is this path or no path. I ignore those who will not help me reach that peak. I wake looking at that mountain because I fall asleep with my head pointed toward it.

I do know that it may be the wrong mountain. And I may be disappointed when I reach the top. That does not matter. I’ve decided it is better to get to the top of the wrong mountain than to never get to the top of any mountain. I take comfort in knowing the top of any mountain offers a view and a perspective that can not be had in the low lands.