Everyday I have some experience that brings the concepts of HARMONY to life...
And, trips and vacations seem to always be particularly educational ;-)
Yesterday, 40 of my best friends and I went to Machu Picchu. It was my 5th time there, and the majority of our time visiting the beautiful Incan City on a mountaintop, was spent ascending Huaynu Picchu.
I have done the hike many times, and I don't think twice about it.
It's fun and the views are beautiful...
MAGNIFICENT in fact...
Only 180 people are allowed up the mountain per day, and one of my friends did a little research to learn that it was considered the "Hike of Death", and one of the 20 most treacherous hikes on earth. I am convinced that is marketing hype...
It does have several areas, especially up top, where if you take a wrong step off the side you will enjoy a very long ride into the abyss. (And, I have seen many hikes on the US West Coast, Asia, etc, where this is the case...)
The fact that two of our group made it at ages 9 and 7 makes me feel like it really can't be ALL THAT treacherous - but regardless...
I was really excited about it because it's a good measure of how I am doing with my fitness relative to previous attempts, and especially because - the last time I went...
I went all the way to the top and took a picture sitting down on the pinnacle rock. I was sitting because it is not a large rock, and there is not much to any of the sides. If you fall in all directions but directly forward you go bye-bye.
I was SCARED... and the best that I could do was SIT.
And, it BOTHERED me...
So, yesterday, my goal, besides getting as many of our crew up the hillside as possible, was to stand strong on that very top rock.
We worked our way up, and for some reason the fact that 99% of the "hike" was going up old Inca stairs was something I had forgotten.
We made our way up in under an hour and the clouds opened up - giving us all a majestic view of the ruins.
I got up to the pinnacle rock and this guy was sitting there with his girlfriend. He was taking selfies, video, with his camera, and his go pro, and his cell phone. He was actually taking pictures with his Go Pro on a selfie stick while taking pictures with his phone at the same time. it was complicated.
So, I sat and waited.
And, waited.
And, waited.
I waited HALF an hour (and mind you, we ONLY get a couple of hours in Machu Picchu...)
You get up before 5 am to
take a bus,
to a train,
to wait in a long line
for another bus
to the hike through Machu Picchu,
to get to the hike to Huaynu Picchu,
to then do it all in reverse.
So, here we are - at the pinnacle of the mountain and of the trip for all intensive purposes...
And, I am really TORN...
Torn by lots of thoughts...
"I can't believe this guy has parked himself on the absolute key 5 square feet of real estate on this gorgeous mountain, and won't let anyone else take the spot. How crazy selfish!"
Time kept ticking... and I started thinking - "I may not be able to get on this rock at all, if I want to see any of the rest of the ruins."
So, eventually, I saw that he was not taking up the WHOLE 5 square feet. There was about 2 feet behind him. This rock is kind of a "pyramid" shape, so when you sit on it - you dont fully sit on the "tip"...
I worked myself carefully up around him, asking of course if it was ok, and sat on the very uncomfortable tip of pinacle rock.
I started listening to the guy, because we were almost spooning...
me, him and his girlfriend...
He was relaxing and just in awe of the mountain, the views...
I felt bad...
"Who am I to be more important than him to be on this spot?"
"Why is this picture so important to me?"
"Why is standing on this beautiful spot such a priority?"
"Doesn't he deserve to sit here as long as he wants?"
Then the other part of my brain would kick in...
"But, a lot of people want to sit on this rock and have their picture moment...
It is unfair to deny everyone that comes up around him the opportunity for the same beautiful shot because of his selfishness".
Here I am - on one of the most gorgeous spots on earth - and I am having a fantastic moment of disharmony wishing this dude would just more - and trying to find my own harmony - and peace of mind in the IS that unless I wanted to ask him to move or push him off... we were going to share this.
I "spooned" with him for what felt like another half hour and I realized - I had to move along.
I kept trying to meditate and just take in the amazing view and moment... and I kept being distracted by my frustration toward this guy. He wasn't just ruining my "picture", he was so ruining the moment... because, I was letting him.
No... I WAS RUINING the moment - because I had concocted this very specific idea of what success was supposed to look like on this mountain - and anything shy of that I would perceive as failure... How very silly... I knew it... and I kept trying to work my mind out of it.
This picture, as anticipated as it was, was all about ego. And, I am smarter than that.
What I really need to do is stand up - I thought.
Who cares if I take a picture of it? Why is that important? Shouldn't it be enough to me to just stand and know I did?
Sure...
And, having a picture would be cool too,,,
So, I started to stand, and I realized why I hadn't a few years back. It's a SCARY and SMALL spot. (and it was more exciting standing up in 2 sq feet versus 5 sq feet)...
I got myself going, I asked him if I could push off his shoulder...
And, breathed deep...
BAM!
I am standing... not as bad as I thought...
I heard my new found friend start to suggest that he might actually LEAVE this spot.
I had my friends take a picture - and there I am finally in my moment of courage and triumph...
And, the pictures have not just my new found friend and his girlfriend, but another guy that had taken my same approach and spooned on the other side of me...
This picture that is supposed to be my EGO filled SUPERMAN moment, looks like I am the guy standing on the picnic rock!
I was amused at this point by my own ego, by this guys complete ignorance to what was going on in my mind and his amazing lack of empathy towards everyone that was up at the pinnacle...
He started to shift!
I asked him to move - and got a picture with just the one guy behind me... better - not perfect... it would have to do.
On the way down, I found out everyone had finally moved, and my son who had been more patient than I had gotten a picture all by himself on pinnacle rock.
On the way down.. just a few feet below the rock, I found these terraces where you could actually sit and take in the view all by yourself.
I smiled at the thought that despite reaching the pinnacle of whatever you are attempting - you so very often have to wait to try to stand on the pinnacle by yourself...
I smiled at the size of my ego, and at my awareness of it all...
I smiled at the fact that none of it really mattered, and yet, I was making it matter.
I smiled thinking patience, luck and timing are such a HUGE part of being the guy that gets to stand on the very top... and be "triumphant" in a uniquely egotistical way...
And, the reality that essentially EVERYONE on the mountain top, including my 7 and 9 year old friend, had just accomplished the same feat.
The true WINNERS were those that could actually come up to the top and breathe - and be fully present.. the ones that possibly didnt even need a camera to remember the amazing beauty of that moment...
I was not the triumphant one after all - despite my almost perfect, testosterone filled picture...
It was a GORGEOUS view, and MAGNIFICENT moment... and I was dancing the whole time with my ego.
And, now, I smile... thinking ... I need to hike it again someday.
This time - I wont bring a camera... I wont care where I sit...
I will simply climb it and breathe...
And, try to tune out the entire world around me...
I wasn't any different, better or wiser than my spooning friend...
My selfie stick was invisible...
And my ego, possibly even bigger than his.
Go figure...
Lesson learned...
in harmony,
Nestor