The man

There is a man sitting alone in a deep valley. Surrounding this valley are hills in all shapes and sizes, and surrounding the hills are mountains. To the man in the valley it is overwhelming, how could anyone climb something that seems so impossible. So for awhile he simply sits there, and does nothing but moan about the helplessness of his present situation.

Time wears upon him and this man finally decides that nothing is to be gained by sitting around waiting. So he begins his trek up the first hill. With a little struggle he makes it, but there are so many more. So he keeps moving to the next one, and with even more hardships he reaches the top. Here he sees that the next hill looks even more arduous than the last. Perhaps I can't do this after all, he says to himself. He waits again.

Finally frustrated by his own predicament he grits his teeth and steels himself for the monumental task ahead of him. He struggles, and he climbs, and he falls more than once, but he keeps moving. Finally, when he is worn and weary, when he has all but given up hope, he pulls himself up the last hurdle.

Instead of collapsing from exhaustion, he stands to his feet on top of this hill. He looks down upon what he has just accomplished and for the first time since he can remember he feels joy, he feels proud, he finds a renewing of his resolve. He has made it farther than he ever would have thought possible, he has bested his own self-doubt and that encourages him to move forward. With a last glance at what he has achieved, he turns to face forward, and he gazes upon what lies ahead of him.

Here he sees more hills, and more mountains, and even greater challenges. Now though, he is not afraid. He has crossed a line and he has found that if he can face his hardest challenge and win, he can face more, and nothing from behind him will further hinder him. He can go farther, and he will wait no longer.