Getting to the Top of the Mountain

Getting over a mountain can be pretty tricky.  Sometimes you can go straight up and sometimes you have to work your way around the obstacles, but if you've got it in you, you eventually make it to the top.  You may be exhausted and sore.  You may have gathered some bumps and bruises along the way, and you may be famished by time you reach the pinnacle, but you're there.  When you get there, you can yell out, "Look, Ma, I'm on top of the world!"  Funny thing about that climb, though...you find that you're not there alone.

This has been quite a week for me.  From my own physical struggles to Nyssa's breathing difficulties, from Nathaniel's diarrhea to Gabriela's earache, and from Bejamin's whiny voice to Richard stepping up and staying home to help me out today, it's been a long road.  Without a voice I've had to continue instructing the children.  Without any strength, I've had to climb up and down the stairs over and over again.  Without a clear head, I've had to continue making decisions for what was best for my family.

But I did not travel this road alone.  For the most part, on the worst days when I had no physical help, the children were calm and soft spoken.  They helped in the best manner of all, which was to be well behaved.  On the days I continued to go downhill and felt I couldn't function any more, Anita came to watch the children and help me keep the house straightened.  She even took over completely when I fell asleep on the couch with Nathaniel on top of me and Benjamin at my feet.  And today, when I was still drained of energy, Richard stayed home to take over when I could no longer stand.

Even at dinner, which Richard was so sweet enough to cook, Nathaniel came over to me, put his head against mine and said, "Mommy.  I love you.  Mommy, I like your dress," trying to make me feel better.  He never comments on what I'm wearing unless it's, "What's that, Mommy?  Why d'jou wear that?"  Sweet Nyssa, finally able to go to school today came home with a mound of make up work and sat at the table and whipped out over half of it in less than an hour.  Benjamin was less stubborn than usual, and Gabriela continued to smile and talk in her little cute voice, in the most charming way.
 
Having a family means not leaving anyone behind, but working together as a unit to make it up that mountain.  When one member gets hurt, the others find an open space on the precipice and sit down patiently waiting for the one to be able to move.  Or, if one grows weary and loses the strength to carry on, the rest all rally around the weary one and help carry that person a little further.  It means being considerate of one another and helping each other overcome the obstacles by moving the obstacle out of the way or by moving away from the obstacle.  Sometimes it's a literal family that helps one another, and sometimes it's a hodgepodge of friends and supporters, but it's a family nonetheless.

I realize not everyone is fortunate to have that kind of a family, am I am so grateful for mine!  They make climbing the insurmountable mountain not only easier, but more bearable, and even perhaps quite a bit more adventuresome.  When we finally get to the top of the mountain, we can look at each other and say, "Look!  See that view?"  This is the only place on earth where we get this vista.  And I never could have gotten here...and I never will get there.... without them!  Sorrow and Suffering may go with you, but in the end, when you look around, they are turned into Joy and Gladness.