Did you know that Monday, May 29th marked the 70th anniversary of a major human accomplishment? On that day in 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary, the skilled climber and Tenzing Norgay, the Nepali Sherpa, became the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on earth at 8,848 metres (29,028 feet). That remarkable feat was deservedly celebrated around the world. The less known history is all the planning and preparation that it took to get there.
Hillary made his first major climb in 1939. His first expedition to Everest was in 1951 followed by an unsuccessful climb to the summit in 1952. He tested his climbing skills in the Himalayas and his physical strength, restless energy and singlemindedness made him a perfect contender for the successful climb in 1953. The duo arrived at the summit at 11:30 in the morning and stayed for about 15 minutes before making the arduous trip back down the mountain. A descent complicated by drifting snow that had covered their tracks.
When at the Summit Tenzing left chocolates as an offering and Hillary left a cross given to him by fellow climber, John Hunt.
The full story of their climb is captivating. I commend it to you. But you might be asking yourself – “Why is she telling me all of this?”!!! The story of reaching the summit is really a much bigger story. It is a story of a great deal of effort, days and days of planning, years of mingled testing and disappointment before it all came together. And isn’t that just like so many of the great accomplishments in life. It may seem like a joyous achievement, but it is the result of a huge back story.
I just included all this info. in a monthly letter to the congregation I am now serving because sometimes I think we forget the back story. We forget that every success is really only a ‘tip of the iceberg’ when it comes to what was required to make it happen – the preparation, study, reflection and practice. I don’t think you can name one thing that does not require much work if it is to come to a successful end. From making a quilt to navigating a ship it is the hours of preparation that bring about the end result.
So keep this in mind when you feel discouraged with the small details, the hours of practice, the tedium of preparation. One day you will ‘make the summit’ and it will all be worthwhile.
