Sunday, March 16, 2014

"To Name A Mountain For A Day..."

 
It was on another unnamed scramble route, to a minor yet significant, but also unnamed peak. I had found myself drawn to it. Called upon it to climb. Even though such high particular places have no names, no profound histories, sometimes even few or no notes any any given maps.
A solo day it was back then, upon new rock, just moving slowly but surely towards a distant height of land.
This 'unnamed' one had me pondering over the traditions and practices of actually naming mountains. Also for how and what we end up calling the rivers and canyons. There is great variation in countries and cultures as to how this takes places. 
Interestingly, one small group of peoples of a northern clime, do not 'name' such points as they believe each human and other wild creatures who may journey there - need to discover its' identity for themselves...
This is a quest for discovery of another kind. A knowing which develops within, a vision, a whisper instead of a statement.
This was to be my intention that day as well. To this grid point not even numbered, nor labelled seemingly by anyone before.
It was not an easy day with all the traverses, backing down, and getting turned about. But it was a day of splendour upon scree and stone, among gentle winds and clouds.
When I finally asked the right questions to enter that realm, the summit then stood before me. Proudly as its own full self. This quiet peak granted me a stay on the summit longer than most I've had. Until the latest hour when the dark of the horizon joined with the last blue sky of the day and the stars began to show their shy faces.
To climb a summit on our own, in this way, is to really be able to begin to know its character for some moments...
It was not so much just named for me now as I was learning what its meaning might be.
'Meridian' was the word whispered to me.
A place name given for those who lead full lives of splendour.
A place where the sun and the stars are joined upon the highest point around.
A place where secrets of the celestials and the elementals may be shared.
'Meridian', I thought as I slowly began my way back. Only to myself though, as saying it aloud back then, may have have meant I was not ready yet to grasp, then muse, and write about what had truly unfolded before me. Just like we always seem to feel when we earn our way out among our adventures at times out there my Friends.
Thank you my 'Meridian'..... DSD 



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