Mountains, a Grain of Sand & Helen Keller

I've always loved the majesty of mountains.  There is something ethereal about them, ruggedly defined in the play of light and dark upon their shaped and jagged cliffs.  I experience a spiritual peace with them, as my gaze travels up the mountainside to the top of the summit, reaching into the heavens.  I feel very small before them and very humbled at their strength and formidable presence, which stirs awe and respect in visual silence.  They stand in solidarity, a testament to God's handiwork, perpetual from their creation and preserved in ancient formation.   

Commanding attention to their massive structure in physical nature;  mountains are also symbolic in the spiritual and soul realm, commanding attention in our upward journey.   Mountains can represent overcoming obstacles -  making progress -  a mental rising or improvement -  a nearness to God, to name a few of life's encounters.

Canyon Mountain near Canyon City, Oregon

We all have our personal mountains to climb.  I like this saying by Robert W. Service...  "It isn't the mountain that wears you out; it's the grain of sand in your shoe."   Climbing a mountain can become more difficult if we are troubled by an irritant such as a grain of sand.  A grain of sand is very tiny but it can become huge to the point of disabling the one who is climbing the mountain.   The grain of sand could represent anything that would challenge your will to continue your upward journey.  It comes mostly in the form of discouragement that would distract you, block your endurance and obscure your goal.  Discouragement is a response shaped from negative issues of life.  It may start out small, but the more you feed it, the bigger it becomes to hinder your progress to whatever the mountain represents to you.

Helen Keller (1880 - 1968) comes to mind as a person who never quit climbing her personal mountain to live to her potential, despite the fact that she was blind and deaf.  Most of you are familiar about this woman of courage, who despite her tremendous handicap, went on to become a leading 20th Century humanitarian.  She was an American author, political activist and lecturer and was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.  Helen had an exceptional friend and teacher in her life, Anne Sullivan, who was instrumental in breaking through Helen's isolated world with no sight and no sound.  Through Anne's patience and experimentation in communication, she was able to connect Helen to the world which existed around her.    Helen certainly met up with discouragement in her life but she banished that grain of sand in order to move forward in accomplishment and personal destiny.  Her indomitable spirit left a legacy of "true grit" and enduring values.

I discovered this video, which contains some quotes, photos and movie clips in memory of Helen Keller.  It was lovingly put together a number of years ago by Mr. George Kleine and is entitled "The Most Wonderful Woman in the World".  It is presented by IamHelenKeller  and is a fitting tribute to this exceptional woman.
You can also view at this link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxEtbVaGHhE

 

The following prayer was written by Helen Keller.  A deeply spiritual woman, she could sense God in all His creation which she could feel through touch and smell and innately within her heart.  She says in her prayer, "I laugh and shout for life is good"...  she beat discouragement at all odds, climbed to the peak of her mountain and blazed a trail of hope for others to follow.

                                                     

 In The Garden of the Lord

The word of God came unto me, sitting alone among the multitudes;

And my blind eyes were touched with light.  And there was laid upon my lips a flame of fire.

I laugh and shout for life is good, Though my feet are set in silent ways.

In merry mood I leave the crowd, To walk in my garden.

Ever as I walk, I gather fruits and flowers in my hands.

And with joyful heart I bless the sun that kindles all the place with radiant life.

I run with playful winds that blow after the scent of rose and jessamine in eddying whirls.

At last I come where tall lilies grow; Where the lilies pray, I kneel upon the ground;

I have strayed into the holy temple of the Lord.

We'll meet again at "The Turn-Up Patch" next Monday..... may your week be full of the good things in life.  If you have met up with discouragement, take the grain of sand out of your shoe and continue the climb......