The absolute simplicity

I’ve been thinking about this quote a lot today.  It’s from one of my all time favorite movies, Seven Years in Tibet. If you have seen it, it’s wonderful: Brad Pitt + mountains + beautiful Tibetan culture + redemption story = one great movie.

Dalai Lama: Tell me a story, Heinrich. Tell me a story about climbing mountains.

Heinrich Harrer: That’s one way to fall asleep. Those stories bore even me.

Dalai Lama: Then tell me what you love about it.

Heinrich Harrer:

“The absolute simplicity. That’s what I love. When you are

climbing your mind is free from all confusions. You have

focus. And suddenly the light becomes sharper, the sounds are

richer and you’re filled with the deep, powerful presence of

life.”

I’m sure I could sit and write for hours trying to articulate why I love climbing mountains. I tend to compensate with length for my inability to perfectly express myself. Thus, there would be a lengthy blog of why I love climbing mountains. So, that’s why I like this quote. He gets the gist of it in five sentences and I will leave it there.  I haven’t climbed to the top of a mountain in a few years. The last one was 2007 with Colin. I miss it a little. I love hiking with Jackson, but I think it would be nice to have that sense of accomplishment again, of making it to the top.

 

 

Mountains that I have summited:

Mt Taylor, NM  (11,305 ft)

Scout Mountain, Pocatello ID (8,684 ft)

Wellsville Mountains,  UT (about 9,000 ft)

Table Rock,  Tetons ID/WY (11,106 ft)

Taylor Mountain, ID (about 7,000 ft)

Y Mountain UT (8,520 ft) (the top of the mountain,  not just the Y  :) )

Squaw Peak UT (7,862 ft)

Mt Nebo southern peak, UT (11,877 ft)

Mt Timpanogos, UT (11,749 ft)