Climbing Mt.Fuji was far more challenging than I imagined.
I fell in love with the mountain when I first saw her during the cherry blossom season last year. Imagining it to be nothing more than an uphill trek, I aspired to climb it like most Japanese, who find in it a spiritual experience.
The reality was different from the perception. It turned out to be far from an easy trek. From afar, Mt Fuji is a postcard beauty, but when I got close to it, I couldn’t recognize it was the same mountain that looked so inviting. (The same thing happens when you think you had a great idea and begin to work on it).
The odd thing this time was that the mountain had disappeared altogether, with weather conditions having changed and skies turning foggy. All I saw this time was her shadow when I on the way to the top. Sighting Mt.Fuji, I realized, is for the fortunate few.
When I reached the top of the summit – what did I find? A ubiquitous post office! Trust the Japanese to have a fully functional post office in case you want to send documentary evidence home as a postcard from the summit!
I always see mountains as metaphors for life and careers. Climbing a mountain is the same as dealing with our daily challenges. We all aim to climb to the top or find a way back. There is only one way to do it calmly and methodically—take one mindful step at a time.