Mountains to climb.

Yesterday I finished a task I spent a huge part of last year working on and felt as though I had reached the top of a mountain. What have I been up to?

Some years ago while teaching I came across a book, "The Te Ching." It seemed to speak to me at a time when I was on a very spiritual and deep search on where my life was heading. It took me back to my very first year at university when I discovered that reading the Bible in an English translation was not going to be enough to get me my degree. I was going to have to learn Greek and Hebrew. That was another mountain I had to climb. Fortunately, I managed that one even though I now and again awake at night wondering what will happen if I do not make that mountain top?

Here was another challenge. The original was written in Chinese and I certainly did not have the time to climb that mountain. So I began collecting various different translations and making a comparison. I found that this brought me another understanding of what was proving to be a meaningful and helpful work.

Still, there was this little mind tugging going on that I had not yet found the translation that spoke to me. SO I began to work on this by looking and studying all the translation I had amassed and few more I found online and from this began to construct a meditative version that worked and spoke to me.

Eighty-one chapters or verses and more than a year later I have reached the last one and another mountain has been climbed.

I remember the old saying that faith can move a mountain. I am not sure if this was an act of faith but the mountain has moved.

I have never moved a mountain and I guess I never will,

All the faith that I could muster could not move a little molehill.

But I am grateful for the challenge,

and the friend who read them with me

and helped me on my way.

When I needed some help friends lifted me from despair.

The little struggles and the doubtful pains they helped to bear.

When on the troubled sea I was given calm

and the little mountains that looked so big I held within my palm.

The lessons I have learned as along the way I ran.

That I had to stop saying that I could not because friends believed I can.

I have never moved a mountain my faith is far too small.

But the day I see the mountain of my life, 

and no fear I see or feel.

For on another mountain my feet are firmly stood.

And for today and maybe tomorrow I am feeling good.

So thanks to those who helped and urged me ever on.

I have my Tao Te Ching and I will journey on.

To all who have helped a big thank you. Have a great day one and all.