No One Stays At The Top Forever

	“Mia, do you remember when you quit your job? You know why you found the one you have right now, don’t you? It’s because you didn’t give up.”
	Evan was my best friend. He had been recounting to me all of the times I had gotten myself out of the ruts I had found myself in. He never failed to view me in the best light, and I adored him for it. His skin, golden from the rays of the sun, was now glimmering with beads of sweat from the arduous task that hiking was.
“Yeah, and I am so grateful to have been persistent.” It was the stress about getting accepted for the internship clawing at me. Pottery was one thing that fueled my fire. I don’t know what I would do if this opportunity passed me by.
“You know it all works out,” he gave me a wink. “This time is no different.”
I gave him a soft chuckle and sighed deeply taking into count the truth that his spoken words held for me. I could feel it unwaveringly in my chest that he was right.
I stopped to regain sight of how far we had strayed. I squinted my eyes and looked far ahead as I attempted to gauge the time we had left. Evan pointed to two big rocks and motioned me over to sit on them. We sat soaking up the tranquility that resided in the midst of the trail, my ears fixed on the orchestra of the whooshing leaves and chirping birds.
“This is going to take forever, Evan.” I stood gazing ahead at the vast amount of towering rock above us.
“We’ll be there in no time. Don’t think about the time.”
I could count on Evan to bring out the side of me that allowed me to be my best and do my best. He was my rock. I sighed and answered, “If you say so,” giving him a warm smile. The path uphill was crunchy with fallen sepia leaves from the cold winter that had just passed and branches that had fallen. Hiking was a great effort, but I could see no other palpable way of getting to the peak than to put one foot in front of the other, so we did just that.
After what felt like eternity to myself, we reached the peak. I can’t believe this. The enchanting sunset painted everything a golden hue: my thoughts, the small bugs crawling by, and the swaying trees. I was content here, more than anywhere I’d been before. I felt a sense accomplishment shower over me as I was immensely grateful for making the climb upwards.
It was getting dark fast, so we laid out our blankets and lied down in time to watch the deep blue blanket that was the night sky. The nerves that were ever-present before setting foot out of the van had now turned into a subtle warmth of euphoria. As I gazed up at the stars twinkling high above us, I realized that something profound had settled inside of me during the words we had exchanged during the hike.
In anticipation of reaching the top, it is not fair to myself to miss the climb. In the midst of today I learned to stop looking and to start enjoying what is already here. Furthermore, I realized that I can’t let myself be stuck in the sorrow of not yet having reached the top, for it is not a place of residence. It is a place to be savored, for having earned.