Hiking and life.

Today as I was hauling my ever increasing belly up the trail I was thinking about life. I've often thought this before. My trail is a lot like life. Some parts of the trail are really steep and hard. Some parts are flat (relatively) and give you a little breather before you hit the next uphill climb. Some people need extra help and use nordic walking poles. Sometimes we crash. HARD. We lose our footing because our attention is on other things rather than foot placement and face plant into big boulders. Giving way to blackened eyes that stay for a while. We sometimes slip and twist an ankle even when we aren't running. Sometimes we are so adept at falling that when we fall we can turn it into a roll and with one fluid motion stand right back up, barely missing a step. We talk to others having the same grueling experience in a friendly, encouraging manner. Some of them we even get to know better and they become a part of our lives. When we get to the top the view that is laid out before us is beautiful to behold. It made the struggle worth it. Whatever we do, we keep on. Winston Churchill said, "Never, never, never give up!" I love USC's motto. Fight On! It implies strength, determination, struggle and endurance no matter what! Forward motion. Never stopping as you're going up on the down escalator. So to everyone who struggles, and that's all of us, FIGHT ON!