So, you did it, but were you there?
Or was it all about the list?
When breathing in the mountain air,
did you forget why you exist?
Or that achievements fade from view,
and however great, all forget,
making the only thing that’s true
is the example that you set.
Look, I don’t know what you’ve been told
about what fills people with love,
when you’re lying there, still and cold,
long after the earth comes to shove.
But it’s not degrees or the job,
or the tallies you accounted.
It’s not the places you have seen
or the hardships you surmounted.
Awe, gumption, congratulations,
are all tokens that turn to dust,
and cannot replace sensations
of kindness, unity, and trust.
Oh, people might think it was great,
and admirable to be sure,
but you’ll see at the final gate,
the cost wasn’t worth the allure.
Memory comes wrapped in presence,
skipping stones on a summer night,
laughter capturing the essence
of sharing warm campfire light.
A walk by the stream counts double
when in deep company, we treat,
kicking loose the dirt and rubble
and together, find our feet.
So, climb the mountain, get up there,
and go do what you’ve gotta do,
but know that all that you should care
is if it brings you back to you.
— ❧ —
Poetry Presents
Sometimes a poem comes to me all at once; other times it starts with just a fragment of an idea—usually while I’m out hiking. This one began with a mental note: write something about presence. About how, in the end, our accomplishments don’t matter nearly as much as the memories we share with the people we love.
As I was summiting another mountain, I realized the real purpose of the climb wasn’t the achievement—it was to bring me back into the kind of mental flow where I could better connect with family and friends. That’s what makes it worth it: finding yourself again so you can be yourself with the people who matter most.
I first got the idea for this poem about a month ago, and today felt like the right time to finally scratch at it. If you enjoy poetry—especially pieces inspired by nature—you can head over to In Verse and find more there. Enjoy!