253 Steps

253 Steps

There’s 253 steps to get to the top.

It’s difficult – if not impossible – climbing all 253 steps.

Some only make it 5 or 6 steps before pausing forever. Before stopping to catch their breath forever.

Those same ones will wish you to stay down with them, to lament with them, how difficult it is climbing any more than their 5 or 6 steps.

There, at the the bottom, as in Hell, they waste their lifetimes lamenting about the impossibility of climbing any higher. Down there, the extreme heat or the agonizing cold are too much for climbing but never too much for complaining about the dogged heat or bitter cold. Down there, in the sins of their excuses, they waste their lives lamenting about trying to climb through their aches and exhaustion. There, as in Hell, their tribulations are unique. Whereas, the higher one ascends, the more one understands the commonality of these woes and misfortunes, regardless of stature or position.

Down there, they look to the clouds for salvation, while those near the top have the fortune of also looking down for salvation. Not only at Hell, but also at humanity and the natural world that conceived them.

Bitterly complacent on the 6th step, one wallows. On the arduous ascent, one overcomes.

They’ll tell you it’s futile, climbing to the top, while neglecting to say how all the others who’ve ascended have shared the same aches and exhaustion which stifle theirs.

Be aware, they don’t want your help or encouragement to climb any further.

Beware their envy and spite as you prove them wrong in your ascent.

They know the bitter taste of the bile from their envy and spite. To avoid the regurgitation, they attempt to keep you at their position. That way, there is no envy to upset their weak stomachs.

All they want is a shared sympathy, knowing, if you pass them too far on your own ascent, you may never come back to offer them any more sympathy for their remaining stuck on the 6th step.

All they want is your pity for their limitations. All they want is your acknowledgement of their pleas and cries for sympathy which can’t be heard at the top.

And here’s the bad news: most are never gonna make it all the way to the 253rd step.

And the ones at the bottom will be sure you know it, too.

With all the will in the world, you’ll probably never make it to the 253rd step.

But, with enough determination, you can make it high enough to get a much better view of things than from so far below.

The ones at the bottom know this.

But it’ll never be said.

That part always gets lost within their cries for pity about how difficult it is to get to the top, where the air is more pure and everything is clearer.

They’ll only tell the others, either stuck on or ascending past the 6th step, how callous you were for leaving them behind in all their pain and exhaustion.

Do not be ashamed of your courage to climb.

Do not be ashamed to apply to your living all that you’ve learned upon your ascent.

Do not be ashamed that, if on your ascent, you slip and tumble to the bottom.

Have the courage fail, then attempt the climb again.

And on the way back up, do not be fooled by their scolds of, “I told you so.”

Do not be distracted by the accusations of selfishness by those too stubborn, lazy or fearful to climb.

Do not get mired in all the particulars and peculiarities of their nearsighted view from the 6th step. Realize these particulars are the fetishes of those stuck in such a narrow line of sight. Understand there is only one angle from viewing things from the 6th step. While, past it, there is the potential for 247 more angles of view, each with their own fascinating particulars and peculiarities.

Instead, heed the encouragement of the others ascending along with you.

Mind, acknowledge and appreciate the encouragement of those wishing you to climb even higher than they have. For they have the humility and wisdom to understand that the higher anyone climbs, the better it is for all.

If you fall, know that you made it near the top once.

And you can do it again.