Only those who will
risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.” – T.S. Eliot
I stood there, looking at the beginning of what would be a
long climb. Rock paths lined the base of what was to be a 10-hour journey up
and back. It was dark, ice covered the black asphalt of the parking lot. The
dirt was hard and crunched underfoot as I lumbered along the path of needle ice
to the trailhead. With each inhalation of breath, my lungs stung, then the cool visage
of condensation appeared with each exhale. How does one even start to climb a
mountain I wondered? I looked up to see that the snow on the trail ahead had
illuminated the surrounding areas in the moonlight. I had been dressed in thick
boots, thermals, pants, a sweatshirt, a Canadian jacket with a hood, a beanie, scarf,
and gloves. Were we really doing this so late in the season? I looked up at Mount
Timpanogos: it hung luminously overhead. From where I was, I couldn’t even see
the tip it was so high.
As I gazed up at the giant that lay before me, I was reminded of the old Chinese proverb
that comes to mind, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Looking
back on the experience I scoffed, well do
they have proverb that tells you what do you do when your legs are burning,
your depleted of food, you feel as though you can’t take another step for fear
of sliding off the slippery edge, what then? As I began that hike, I reflected
on my schooling and the mountains I’ve had to climb throughout the admissions
process to law school. Under all that clothing, the burning doubt of whether I’d
actually make it dangled unanswered in the air.
I liked this quote and starting with it really framed your story. I also thought it was funny how you scoffed at the proverb. That was very relatable and it gave your piece a really nice voice.
ReplyDeleteI like the sense of hope that the beginning quote gave your story as a whole. I also loved how you were able to relate your hike to applying to law school. It cast your feelings about the rigorous application process in a fresh light.
ReplyDeleteYour use of the epigraph definitely set the tone for where this passage was going. There's also a lot of ethos being called upon when citing T.S. Eliot. It adds a depth and credibility to the story that wouldn't be there in itself.
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