Flee to the Mountains

Peaks and valleys, highs and lows, that’s what life is. Nothing stays constant, neither good times nor bad. If you’re one of the many who are under the misconception that your life is just one blow after another, maybe it’s time for you to reconsider. Most likely, you’re simply overlooking the simple pleasures.

Everyone has low points in their lives, but once you hit rock bottom, you’ll know it. There are no ifs, ands or buts. It’ll hit you hard, so there’s no room for second guessing. However, it’s also true, that one will most likely reach their highest potential after hitting their lowest point. Sometimes, we just need reminders of the places we don’t want to end up and the people we never want to become. Sometimes, we need that extra motivation to create the life we want for ourselves.

While I believe in the strength and power of relationships, sometimes more than others, the only person we can truly and unconditionally turn to is ourselves. People often look for help or happiness in others. We hope to find someone that can suddenly make everything okay. While the thought of finding that person seems ideal and magical, I’m not too sure whether that exists. Sometimes, a person can be right by your side while you crash, and they might even be a part of it. But in the end, you’re the only one that has to live with the consequences.

Although you can’t expect someone to heal all wounds, they might be able to make it hurt a little less. They can’t magically fix everything, but they might be able to comfort you as you do. Sometimes, it’s simply an honest conversation with someone who refuses to judge. Getting things off your chest can help you escape from your own thoughts. Other times, it can just be the company of someone who was with you through it all. Someone who knows everything, yet nothing needs to be said. There are no explanations needed, just the closeness developed during a life-altering event. One can only hope that such intimacy can only bring people together instead of creating a complicated distance.

Safe Here With Me

Faith, it's what gets us through the day. Whether it's faith in God or some other sort of higher power or faith in yourself, there is something that makes each and every one of us look forward to another day. There's something that helps us get out of bed in the mornings and move on with our lives regardless of the circumstances.

Like most other things in life, faith can be inconsistent. Life-altering events, tragedies and miracles, can either wither our faith or instill it within us stronger than ever before.

As I witnessed a new-found friend's faith in one of his strongest friendships, I couldn't help but wonder when I lost sight of my own. This led me to question some of my own relationships, especially the ones that I have left behind. When did I lose faith in people and relationships? When did I start being satisfied with the idea of letting go and moving on rather than fighting for the ones that matter most?

Is it the pragmatic side of me? People come and go; it's a part of life. Just as there's a reason for them to surface when they do, there must be a reason for their departure as well. Sometimes, people simply grow apart. People seek different things from life and therefore embark on different paths to obtain them. Other times, uncontrollable factors, such as detached emotions and feelings or bad timing and distance, get in the way. It could be a clash of personalities or just an unresolved misunderstanding. Or there might be no apparent reason at all. Sometimes, relationships just fade.

People often lose significance in our lives while others gain it. That's also natural. It doesn't mean we constantly seek replacements. Everyone has their own special place in our hearts, however it's astonishing to witness how quickly things can change. How do we go from speaking to someone on a daily basis to suddenly losing all contact? Similarly, how does a stranger gain the privilege to hear about our thoughts, feelings and experiences as if they have always been a part of the journey? When the person that already knows it all disappears, how do we suddenly gain the courage to start all over with someone new?

It's all about being open to the possibilities. No one can be sure what kind of significance someone can hold in our lives or what they will have the capability of teaching us. However, once they become a part of our lives, it's almost becomes a bit ineffable to realize where we would be without them. Not in the sense that we would not survive without them, but in a more momentary sense. Had this person not entered your life, who would you be talking to at this very moment? Who would you be spending your days with? Who would you be sharing your life with? It's all part of a larger plan. We may not comprehend it in the moment, but looking back, all of the pieces suddenly somehow fall together.