Can
you believe that it is August already? As always, I am incredibly excited for
the beginning of the school year!
I still get that same sense of excitement that I had as a child this
time of year! Speaking of
excitement, throughout my travels this summer I was fortunate enough to climb
the Manitou Springs Incline in Colorado, which is a 1-mile hike at an average
grade of 40%. It was an incredible
challenge for me and as I was climbing I was reminded of the incredible metaphor
this mountain provides when comparing the climb to that of the school
year.
First
of all, my anticipation and adrenaline started off strong, as I was about 100
yards into hike, I realized I was in for more of a challenge than I had
expected, but there was no turning back.
Half-way up, I realized that looking at the summit was no longer an
option, I had to divide the hike into smaller chunks or goals, providing myself
with a well deserved break each time.
As I was getting closer to the summit, it didn’t get easier, as a matter
of fact it became more challenging, however my adrenaline had kicked in and by
then my body had surely adjusted to the altitude, but I was incredibly
tired. Twenty feet away from the
summit, my legs were on fire, but my mind pressed forward and after reaching
the top, I was overjoyed and felt the most incredible sense of
accomplishment. We then took an
alternate trip down, which was a 2.4 mile winding hike back down the hill, providing
me with an opportunity to catch my breath, take in the beautiful sites once
again both helping me to rejuvenate my soul.
Can
you envision the parallels when comparing your child’s school year, to that of
climbing a mountain? We all start
off strong, new backpacks are ready, routines are set, intentions are great,
and after we start, the excitement may dwindle and school may become harder and
maybe more of a chore, but it is then that we must push children to prevail and
continue to pace them upward and forward.
The end will surely come and we will have that opportunity for summer to
refresh our children’s bodies and spirits once again. And just as I looked back at my climb, our children
will look back at this school year next May and realize, while challenging, there was
so much enjoyment full of memories that will last a lifetime!
I wish you all the excitement of climbing a mountain this school year!
