Helping others gives life meaning

There once lived a young man in a small village in the Himalayan Mountains who desired to become a mountain climber. He would sit in front of the small dwelling in which he lived, staring for hours at the mountains surrounding him, thinking what it would be like to scale their peaks.

As he grew older, his desire became more intense, and he started learning to climb. When the elders in the village told him none of the tall mountains surrounding the village had ever been attempted, the desire burned within him to climb the peaks.

His skills and courage grew until one day he was ready to attempt the third-highest peak in the mountains surround his village. He began his ascent with enthusiasm, energy and some fear, as the path he chose was filled with danger and the unknown.

Reaching the top, he looked about him and marveled at the surroundings below. His village was but a speck; he saw valleys and streams he did not know existed. As he cast his gaze upon the two higher mountains, all the lesser peaks, the scenery below him, and the lofty one he stood on seemed irrelevant.

He descended the mountain consumed by only one thought – climbing the other two peaks. When he returned to his village, he was applauded by all. Many asked what he saw from the top of the mountain. They wondered what their village looked like, how the clouds looked, if he saw fertile areas where new crops would grow. But his thoughts only focused on the second mountain peak he wanted to climb.

With increased courage and improved skills, the ascent of the second-highest mountain was faster. Upon reaching the top he spent few moments looking down, instead focusing on the highest peak that remained to be climbed.

When the day came fellow villagers asked him again to look for fertile land, streams and passes between the mountains, but he paid little attention. His burning desire to make it to the top of the highest mountain consumed him. This time, however, the ascent was without a thrill, the view was boring. He felt pride but also disappointment in his accomplishment. In his life ahead, he could see no higher peaks to climb. What would he do without further challenge? Descending, he found himself depressed, lethargic and unenthusiastic.

Then a great drought came upon his village. The once fertile valley became barren. With no fish or food, the people began to perish. One day a man asked him if he could remember anything about the lands he saw from the top of the peaks. But he could only remember that he was the first to climb the three mountains.

Still in his dejected, despondent mood he yielded to the villagers’ plea to climb the highest mountain to search for a way out of their valley. He knew the villagers were depending on him, as he was the only person to ascend the mountain. Thus, he climbed the mountain looking at the surroundings and noting other passes.

Upon reaching the top he spent time looking down, making the ascent to help others rather than yielding to his own pride as he had during his first ascent. As he descended he was filled with joy and happiness as he had found a way to help the villagers out of their hardship. Contentment, peace and joy returned to his life, as he climbed the mountain this time, not for himself, but for others.

Copyright c 1990 Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D.