The Mountains Were Always There

One of the greatest life lessons I ever learned came from nature.

Have you ever noticed how quickly life seems to pass?

Our calendars fill up. Our to-do lists grow longer. We move from one responsibility to the next without ever slowing down. In the process, we often lose something we don't even realize we've lost—our connection with nature.

I've come to believe that nature is one of life's greatest teachers.

Many years ago, someone shared a simple piece of wisdom with me:

"Whenever you have a question about life, look to nature. Somewhere, you'll find your answer."

At the time, I didn't fully understand what they meant.

A few years after my mom passed away, I found myself living under a heavy cloud of grief. Looking back, I can see I was deeply depressed, although I didn't recognize the depth of it then. I was getting through each day, but I wasn't truly living.

A family trip to Alaska was planned for a reunion.

Alaska?

At 33 years old, that sounded like my idea of torture.

I packed high heels, perfume, and a blow dryer—none of which proved very useful in the wilderness! I remember thinking, "What do you mean my perfume could attract grizzly bears?"

But something unexpected happened.

Day by day, surrounded by mountains, forests, and the ocean, I began to feel calmer than I had in years.

Then one morning, everything changed.

We had spent the night camping near Seward. The evening before, thick gray clouds covered everything. The ocean looked dark and lifeless, and I couldn't see beyond the fog.

When I woke the next morning, the sky was brilliant blue.

The clouds had disappeared.

Standing before me were the most breathtaking mountains I had ever seen, rising straight from the water.

I burst into tears.

Those mountains hadn't suddenly appeared overnight.

They had been there all along.

The only thing that had changed...was my perspective.

That moment became one of the greatest life lessons I've ever received.

Sometimes our fears, grief, disappointment, or uncertainty create clouds that keep us from seeing what's possible. The opportunities are still there. Hope is still there. Beauty is still there.

We simply can't see past the clouds.

Whenever life feels overwhelming now, I remind myself of that morning in Alaska.

The mountains are still there.

I just need to wait for the clouds to pass.

What clouds are keeping you from seeing clearly today?

Perhaps the answers you're searching for are already there, waiting patiently for the sky to clear.

Sometimes the greatest thing we can do is step outside, reconnect with nature, take a deep breath...and remember to look past the clouds.

With gratitude,

Lisa Goodwin