Sometimes life delivers a very unexpected surprise at just the right time. The surprise part makes the experience so sweet. This happened to me on Father’s Day weekend. I had my whole family with me, my two daughters and their families, 10 of us. We were missing my two oldest grandsons, Wayne and Drew, who were off doing life elsewhere.
I had rented a cabin near Lassen Volcanic National Park for the weekend and we decided to all climb Lassen Peak (10,463 ft. and 5 miles rt.) on Saturday with the exception of my granddaughter-in-law Taylor and her two young children, Aiden and Adalynn. Now you need to understand that none of my family is into climbing like I am. So I’m thinking I will need to encourage everyone to go as far as they can and that will still be a success. I’m telling everyone that there is no shame in not getting to the top as long as you have given it your best shot. I don’t know the author, but the quote I’m reminded of is:
Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. If you try then there is no shame of losing, but if you don’t even try because you are afraid of failure then that is dishonorable because you did not take the chance.
Both of my daughters, Shelly and Deanna, made it to the top of Lassen Peak!! I had totally underestimated their ability. It didn’t matter at all that they had never climbed anything before. They just put one foot in front of the other all the way to the top. You just never know. What a big lesson for me. My two younger grandsons, Allen and Thomas, and my son-in-law Ron also made it.
I was so very proud of my daughters. It was the first time we had ever climbed together. I’m finding it hard to describe the feeling of how happy I was. It was one of the most special days of my life. And for my daughter Shelly it was a very emotional experience. Her summit was the culmination of a lot of hard work to overcome the debilitating effect of a stroke she suffered several years ago following an operation. She definitely inherited the determination gene. She has been so inspired by what I have done that she is now setting her sites on Mt. Shasta next year. I believe she can do this. And who knows what then. I am also hoping that Deanna will want to join us too. Regardless, I am so proud to be their dad. What a special gift they have both given me, as has my whole family. I love you all!!
