There is a race.
You train, prepare, spend countless hours practicing, perfecting, pushing.
The time gets closer and the jitters start to build.
Are you ready?
Can you do this?
What happens if you fail and what does failure look like?
You refocus, you visualize what success means, you show up at the start early.
You’re off, the race has started, you take off too fast pulled forward by the excitement and the energy, like a spring being released.
Steady, you have a long way to go.
The miles role by, at first you have no idea how you will ever finish - so far still to go.
By the middle you start to hurt a bit, the energy of the pull is gone but you are in a grove and you keep moving forward.
You really hurt now, three quarters of the way through.
How are you going to finish?
Why did you sign up for this in the first place?
Your friends are sleeping in, eating bunch, and here you are, hurting in the rain for what?
You buckle down, push a little harder. You know you grow when you hit the edge of your comfort zone.
Suddenly you look up and realize you are near the end, you can hear the crowd, feel the energy and you pick up the pace, put in the last of what you have.
The final end is the sprint - legs, arms, lungs are one, your mind stops talking, you body just moves and you are in the moment.
The end comes, somehow so much faster and slower than you thought.
You cross the finish line, you double over, sides hurting, breath gasping, filled with joy.
You are stronger than you realized.
You showed up and gave it your all.
Everyone is going about their day, oblivious of your race, but you know.
You know you stronger, different, changed.
You hold that knowledge of where you have come and how far you have come.
You will need the strength you found another day and you hold it close, glowing next to your heart.
And so this was our year and Mt. Fuji was our sprint, full of beauty and promise. The year is past, the future not quite here, and we embraced every moment of our climb, not reflecting back on our journey preparing or transitioning home, but instead living each breath, in the moment with all of its gifts.
And now we prepare to board the plane home, it is like we are crossing the finish line of this year. We are all together, our worst fears were not realized and we have all gown in ways we didn’t know were possible. We will still need to stretch, catch our breath and adjust, but being here at this moment it feels great. The light and strength from this year is safely tucked away as we head home to family, friends, passions and purpose.
Thank you all for cheering us on, supporting us when we needed it, believing in us when we didn’t and pushing us to be more, see more and do more and to do less. We don’t plan to continue this blog at home, but I plan to continue writing and reflecting on life's journey, on healthcare as well as health and wellness and you are welcome to follow along. We look forward to the road ahead.
Farewell friends, it has been a great ride.
“The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning ”
We started up Fuji with a breakfast of champions.
Station 5 and the start of the Fuji trail after a long and winding road up.
Every temple has these walls of wishes where you can purchase a piece of wood, write your wish and attach it to the wall. As a family we left our wish for the year hanging on this wall at the base of Mt. Fuji.
Our wish among the others.
We also got individual wishes, full of fun about the girls future relationships, jobs and health.
Hanging our wishes on a sting of wishes.
Time to leave our wishes behind and begin up one final journey.
With one final treat.
Look at that view. Starting out in the clouds.
Well this is it friends, time to climb.
Last moments of green.
Climbing higher with these two!
In their own world, enjoying the time and space to talk, play and treasure their friendship
You never know what face this one will produce when you pull out the phone.
Basically we ate our way up Mt. Fuji. The selection and avalibility of food and supplies was impressive.
Need oxygen? I was surprised at how many people were using oxygen on our way up.
We stayed at a lodge part way up the mountain to get the full cultural experience. Efficient, warm and dry it was a nice treat part way up the mountain. It was surprising however how many people climbed though the night or slept on the benches outside the lodges.
The next morning we “work up” (not sure any of us really slept) at 2 am and started to climb to see the sunrise. This was my favorite part of the climb. The peace and beauty of the night and the stunning sunrise was magical. We also totally lucked out with the weather. It rained ever day before our hike and everyday since besides the day we summited. It was also the first official day the trail was open due to a landslide that closed the mountain for the first 10 days of the climbing season.
The magical layer between clouds as we made our way up.
Slowly getting lighter
Lily making the final push to the summit though the trail that had collapsed and opened the day we summited.
Lily again going through the gates at the summit right as the sun rose. It was a perfect ending to a perfect trip. We couldn’t have timed this moment if we planned all year for it, but there it was unfolding in front of us.
The top!
Yah!
Looking down as the clouds kept parting.
The crowd at the top watching the sunrise.
Nothing better than fresh hot miso Raman and coffee at the top at 5 am!
Checking out the crater - it is a little colder up here.
Time to head down.
Basically how I feel - what a year, what a summit.
Long way home
I love the bond these two have, more adventures to come I am sure.
What do you do when you didn’t sleep all night, stared to climb at 2 am and are at your new hotel at 8 am and check in is not for 7 more hours? Spend the whole day at the amusement park! The girls had to make the most of the sun we had not seen in weeks. What a treat to enjoy it on Mt. Fuji and then at the amusement park all day.
On our way to the plane I saw this poster - To be continued for sure, but grateful for an amazing year.