For the past while I feel like I’ve been missing that big picture view. Sort of like on a hike when you climb up a ridge you get to see the expanse, you see for miles and miles. Soon you descend into the foothills, trees, and valley floor and you forget what it looked like. You can’t recall how far the next lake is, or where the that river is, or if you should set up camp soon or push on to a better, safer territory.
Today was rising out of the valley and onto a small ridge to recapture that very big picture view. I’ve been thinking about and focusing on so many small details and little aspects (all important, by the way…none of it was wasteful per se). However, today brought attention to the contextual story in which we see the characters, the plot, and a glimpse into the future for our protagonists and even antagonists.
Climbing that next ridge really sets apart the differences between how my mindset has been, and where it ought to be. Without dwelling on past decisions and forming regrets, I have a new set of criteria and perspective to think from.
While it rarely all makes sense, what’s the next ridge, the next mountain peak I can climb to retain these views? Sometimes it means hiking faster and working harder. But even with working harder that sometimes means we don’t cherish that ridge and we walk right on past it being in such a rush for that very glimpse; we put in that super long week and forget what we learned, what we gained, and ignore cherishing the joys and ending the week bitterness or pity. I think there’s something more. I just don’t know what it is because I can’t quite see the forest from the trees. Yet.
Jeff Beaumont 