For many years I regularly hiked down the Grand Canyon and back up in a single day. Every time, I started out with such exhilaration, often running at the beginning. The excitement and anticipation of the hike erased any doubts of accomplishing it.
When I reached the bottom of the canyon, however, and stood by the river, I always looked up to the top and then realized that now I had to get back up! It reminded me of how often in life I would jump into the “pool” of some adventure, worrying about how to get out of it later. My thinking was always, “Well, you’ve got yourself here. Now get yourself out!”
In climbing back to the top of the canyon, whenever I looked up again from where I was on the trail, it would seem almost impossible to reach my goal. If I looked back at where I had begun my ascent, I felt a little more encouraged, but it also brought me a sense of fatigue as I thought about the length and height of the distance I had hiked.
