The Only Way is Up Now

I think those who say climbing mountains are fun are not being entirely truthful to themselves. Climbing mountains is not fun, it is pain, and it brings you to places where you learn to cope with that pain. And when the pain builds up with every step made, it tells you to turn and go down. But you fight that thought, and tell yourself to keep going up. In such a concentrated situation having prepared so meticulously and the outcome isn't really in your hands, climbing is as close as it can be to life summarized as it should be lived. And when so many factors (physical, mental, spiritual, environmental, financial) are put into play throughout that concentrated situation = concentrated emotions, from preparation to climb to summit day, being one with the beauty and the beast of a mountain, you start to live for those feelings. And you fall in love with the pain and the grind, because of the immaterial rewards that can possibly come with it, even beyond the mountains, as massive as they are already.

It's not fun, it's the opposite, yet way way bigger than it.

After 2 shoulder dislocations, ACL full tear, multiple meniscus tears, hamstring tear, 3 ankle ligament tear, tibia bone fracture, 2 failed businesses (altitude gym & co-working library), debts, witnessing co-worker suicide, loss of job and other unspoken personal troubles, I ended up being broken and at my lowest financially, emotionally, spiritually & physically leading up to 2026.

But I guess the summit is won, and not wished for
This climb in life requires commitments, not complaints
This path demands persistence, nothing near of perfection
And this mountain of life must reward growth, not greed

I put it all here for myself to remember and to look back one day, that I've held myself accountable to watch myself come back again, at least to a level that is able to benefit and not only consume.