It's not about the view

It’s not about the view 

Time is a commodity we cannot hold, cannot hoard, and never know its value till it is gone. 

Anyone who knows me would never describe me as a sad or morbid person. But lately I have been sad, thoughtful. A friend and hiking partner has been diagnosed with cancer. Usually that kind of news makes me feel sad for a moment, I add them to my prayer list, and life goes on. But life has not gone on, for me at least. I cannot shake the thought of all those I have known who are gone. Most were customers at my store. Since opening my store I have met many people I would have otherwise never met. Our enjoyment of the outdoors was a common denominator, and it was the ice breaker that led to conversations and eventually friendship. 

An older gentleman who was a blacksmith started shopping in my store. He had diabetes and wanted to once again go backpacking like he did in his youth. Our conversations varied from horses (of which I know nothing) to backpacking to stories of our lives. My wife brings lunch to us at the shop everyday, and he would join us when he came by. In something he said once, I got the impression that my wife reminded him of his mother during his childhood. He said it was unusual in this day and age for someone to take the time to make a home cooked meal. Unfortunately his diabetes worsened and he passed before he was able to make a backpacking trip. 

Another customer and friend had just recovered from cancer and wanted to go rock climbing when his strength returned. At that time I had a small bouldering wall in my store. He would come once or twice every week to climb and to discuss climbing equipment. My son would make time to climb with him and show him how to climb efficiently. We even went to a climbing gym with him; we spent more time talking than climbing. The cancer soon came back, and we never made it to the mountain for his climbing trip. 

I have a customer and friend whose wife insisted he buy a kayak for his daughter and himself. She had been diagnosed with cancer and wanted something for the both of them to do together. Kayaking was an escape, if but for a moment for my friend. I had hoped that the three of them would someday kayak together. It was not meant to be. 

My friend and six of us had hiked in the rain and wind to camp on a mountain for what was said to be a spectacular view. We cursed the wind as it blew and whipped our shelter all night. The next morning was nothing but fog, mist and more wind. We climbed to the top of the mountain and joked what a wonderful view. We could barely see each other in the fog let alone the miles and miles of beauty we had anticipated. We packed up and hiked back out. Half way to the car, one of us turned around and said “look!”. The wind had cleared the clouds and fog and our mountain top was awash with sunlight and the scenery we had sought earlier. We were given time together and it was blessed. 

Life is not all about the view or the sunshine; the view and the sun are always there just sometimes obscured. Life is about the time spent going up to the top of the mountain. Though fog and rain may block our view, we must still revel in the moment. God allows clouds only for a time, eventually the wind that we cursed will blow away the fog and mist and allow the sun to shine. My wish is to stand on a mountain again with my friend, and it won’t matter if we can see the view or not.