The Flower Of Freedom

The hero is not one who succeeds in a single burst, but rather the one who does not relent.

David Wolpe
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Hello Val
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"The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower."
(William Cowper)

I think it's true to say any venture worth while is usually accompanied by a period of trial and test before success is achieved. Those tests are often difficult and painful. If you launch a ship out into the ocean without knowing where you are going you stand a chance of suffering all sorts of problems. If you start walking in a forest with no destination, it might be a pleasant walk, but you might also get lost. There's no substitute for knowing what you want.

In New Hampshire there is a mountain called Mount Washington. It's the tallest mountain in the northeast (6,288 feet). There are three ways of getting to the summit. You can drive. There's a road. When you get up there you can buy a bumper sticker that says "This car climbed Mt. Washington." You can take the train,. There's a cog railroad that goes from the base to the top. Or you can walk. There are several trials that go up. When I made the trip I took the scenic route. I hiked.

Washington is not the only tall mountain in those parts. Another one is called North Moat and though it's not as tall as Mt. Washington, the trail is steep and very difficult. On the day I hiked it when I finally came out of the timber line and into the open I was exhausted. I sat down, had my lunch and enjoyed the view. All I could see above me was rock. I couldn't see the summit. I though I might as well turn back.

But I had come out to climb the mountain, to reach the summit. So after a few minutes I picked my weary self up and kept going. I was relentless. As it turned out I was only about 15 minutes from the summit, and when I got there the view was magnificent and I felt like I was standing on top of the world.

A lot of politicians are telling us these days what the Founding Fathers wanted. We don't know what they wanted other than what they said. Freedom to farm and ply their trades without interference, freedom to worship the way they wanted to and freedom from an oppressive government. It was a simple thing to declare independence. But they had to fight a war to claim it. Death, destruction, mayhem, injury, misery, loss of property, desperate circumstances were the bitter buds of that freedom. It was enough to make some men turn back. But there were the relentless ones. They had a goal, a result, a summit and they weren't going to stop until they got there.

Are we now enjoying the sweet flower of that freedom, or not?

DB - Vagabond Journeys
Never Give Up
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AUTUMN QUESTION

What event over the past year changed your life, a lot or a little?

Only 5 answers so far.

dbdacoba@aol.com

I await your answers.
DB
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