Mountain climber

Someone once said that we can either circle the mountain indefinitely, or we can find a way to climb the mountain and move on. That's not unlike Clayton King, my college pastor's, favorite saying: build a bridge and get over it.

My college roommate joked that I was the perfect person to consult during mopey days because I would show little patience for pity parties. I'm working on gaining more compassion, though! And I believe the first step to accepting other peoples' weaknesses is to admit that I'm not all that strong myself. I rely on coffee each morning in order to rise and shine. I rely on my husband, Mike, for security and assurance. I rely on my mom and dad to encourage me and simply say, "It'll all work out." Mostly, though, I rely on God to change me, to burn away the parts I hate and to create in me the person I desire to be.

So, I can either accept the challenges of change and climb the mountain; or, I can settle into self-loathing and contempt. I'd rather be a mountain climber.