One day a journey person headed towards the west. The day was won as he skimmed across prairie and encountered the foothills. The travel was light, his mind was filled with great adventures, and the scenery was inviting.
As he travelled, he encountered hamlets and villages along the way. Small towns of unlikely inhabitants. The restaurants were filled with dreamers and rushing business people. The fill up station was inhabited with curious eyes and trusting helpers. Everyday life filled the air.
Crossing the line from hills to mountains was indiscernible. The elevation rose, but not much else. Greenery changed shades and sizes.
Until he reached the Mountain. The towering rock did not embolden him to scale the heights. Rather, to return to the lowlands and live a peaceable life.
A journey person does not gain their reputation without facing fears and accepting challenges. But sometimes all they do is journey – they never scale the heights. Those who do gain a new appreciation for the landscape and are never the same. They have mastered their craft, floated to the top of the waves and returned with the knowledge of something far beyond the normal and acceptable.
Congratulations to those apprentices who work to master their craft. May you have greater joy as you scale the heights of your vocation!!