Retying My Boots

A person standing on a rocky outcrop overlooking a mountainous landscape at sunset, with snow covering some areas and distant peaks visible in the background.

He had lived a long life and climbed many mountains.

Near the end, an angel asked him, “Was it what you imagined?”

“Which part?”

“Every age and every climb.”

He thought for a moment. “At each summit, I wasn’t the person who’d first wanted it.”

“How so?”

“I’d met people along the way I never could have imagined. I’d said goodbye to some I thought would always be with me.”

“What did you learn?”

“That the people mattered more than the peaks.”

“And the peaks?”

“I’ve reached many.”

“And then?”

“I sat down. I let it be enough.”

“For how long?”

“Long enough to be grateful. Never long enough to stay.”

“Why not?”

“The horizon had shifted, and I caught myself retying my boots.”

Photo by Gaurav K on Unsplash sometimes arriving changes what we can see