In my Elder’s Quorum lesson today, we were discussing the General Conference talk Becoming Like Him, but Scott D. Whiting. One of the Elders mentioned an interesting idea in the discussion about how we shouldn’t compare our speed in life with that of someone else’s. Someone walking on a trail and someone climbing a cliff will go very different speeds. That idea eventually turned into this poem.
My Mountain, Your Mountain
I went out to climb a mountain
And saw you do the same.
Nature to see and wonder at,
A mountainside to tame.
We each had different paths,
but soon, you seemed higher up.
I struggled to push my self harder –
I must not be climbing fast enough.
I redoubled my efforts,
Looked again, and though we were near,
My path looked rocky and cluttered,
While yours seemed wide and clear.
I began to scale a cliff,
And saw you climb one, too.
But you went up more rapidly,
It seemed easier for you.
I neared the top, watching you,
jealous of your speed,
We reached the top together,
And you smiled, and said to me:
“You’ve climbed so well, I’ve noticed you,
I wish I was half so skilled.
I tried so hard to keep up with you,
Meting you makes me so thrilled!”
“But,” I said, “I envied you,”
“You seemed to be the best.”
We laughed at ourselves and sat down together,
Enjoying the view and the rest.
