Treasures and Atrocities At the Summit

I was Girl Scouts for many years. Along with camping, sewing, summer camps, and cookie sales, my troop did a lot hiking. One of our favorite trails was Squaw Peak.

I remember watching Bank One Ballpark, home of the Diamondback’s baseball team, being built, circa 1996-1997. I also remember squealing when my friends and I found a soiled pair of underwear at the summit.

However, my most vivid memory is the first time I encountered the railing. You see, Phoenix mountains are exceptionally rocky. Hiking is not so much trotting up a dirt path as climbing over massive boulders. As a child, navigating up the massive rocks meant putting my faith in the railing, often just a a foot or two from a steep fall off point. It was scary!

I desperately wanted to earn my badge. I also didn’t want to be the only girl to chicken out. So, I climbed that mountain. And, once I’d done it once, it wasn’t so bad. I already couldn’t wait to do it again.

What other treasures and atrocities might we find? There was always something new at the summit.

As children, we’re faced with new challenges each day, whether it’s a new lesson in school, being asked to try a new food, or experiencing the loss of a loved one for the first times. As adults, these experience don’t arrive quite so often, and our incentive to keep learning and growing may be much lower. Yet, the effort may be worth it.

The theme for May on the Heart of the Matter is Growth, and today I’ve written about employing a growth mindset in Bafflement Can Be a Blessing. Come join us in the discussion!