Summits of Your Dreams - by Wakingspirit.com ©
Soaring majestically like the breeze shaking the barley
Yielding gracefully like a leaf to the change of seasons
Sailing bravely like a wave in search of distant shores
Surrendering sublimely like the ocean to the turn of tides
Whispering prayers on mountain tops - the summits of your dreams
It was an eerily dark and daunting night.
Frank Band was on the deck of an ocean liner half way across the Pacific. He was heading home to Vancouver. This was Frank’s first time travelling by ship across such a long distance. He scanned the horizon to the West where the sun was setting. It hung crested over the ocean and seemed to be taking forever to set. The water was uncommonly flat and lifeless with a gloomy mist curling around the ship. It occurred to Frank that he couldn’t remember why he took an ocean liner rather than flying. It must have been the outcome of the crazy turn of events that almost cost him his life and certainly made him rethink his plans in life.
Frank thought about it – and it didn’t matter how he was travelling home…one way or the other he would be back in Vancouver in time for his fortieth birthday celebration with Dona, his wife and Adam his ten year old son. And he had an earth shaking announcement to make.
It was October 18th. The full moon hung low in the Eastern sky. It was Frank’s favourite full moon of all the months – the Falling Leaves Moon it was called. Falling Leaves says it all, but of the many things this moon and time of the year signifies, the most important thing is the end of his annual mountain climbing excursions. It was the turning point in his year. The time for him to spend time at home with his family and friends until the climbing season started back up in April of the next year.
Mountain climbing was Frank’s passion, but it was also his profession. And in the world of mountain climbing he was as famous as Lance Armstrong - at least in Lance's glory days. He made his living off the sport through sponsors, interviews, writing books, and being an inspiration speaker. He also was a spokesperson for some major charities. In Frank's off-season, Adam would bring his dad to school on Careers Day to talk about his profession – amongst Adam’s friend’s there was no doubt who had the coolest dad.
Frank heard soft footsteps on the wood deck. A crew member was making the rounds about the boat.
‘Hey, you’re Frank Band, the famous mountain climber,’ he said upon seeing Frank on deck.
‘I climb mountains – I wouldn’t say famous,’ Frank responded.
‘Well, I’m Apollo – the not so famous crewman,’ Apollo said with a friendly laugh, ‘it's cold out here…why don’t you come up to the bridge…it’s a great view from up there and you can meet the Captain.’
***************************************************
‘Welcome to the bridge of the Arcadia,’ said Jordon Charon, the Captain.
‘We have much in common,’ said Jordon, ‘we both must work in the face of death.’
‘A sailor, like a soldier, sees more death and fallen souls than one person should. Except a sailor, is confronted with the fury of nature – just like a mountain climber. And most often the elements are his nemesis or opponent – he never knows when the seas will unleash its rage on him – just like a climber can never gauge the true anger of a mountain.’
‘Mr. Band, each time before a sailor heads out to sea or a warrior sets off to battle he makes love to his wife like it is the last time – I’m certain you know what I mean first hand.’
‘I totally understand,’ said Frank.
Captain Charon was not your usual sailor thought Frank. And the passengers he encountered on deck were strange and mysterious - very elusive.
‘I noticed that the passengers on this ship are a solitary type…I’m actually happy about that because I need time to myself on this trip – at least we’re all on the same page and no one is going to accuse me of being rude,’ said Frank.
‘This is not a cruise ship taking you through the islands of the Caribbean with no fixed destination – this is a utilitarian ship with a serious mission and a final destination. This crossing we are undertaking requires a much hardier boat than those cruise ships,’ replied the Captain calmly, ‘often we face rough waters and all my passengers have unique pursuits and a special destination to reach – the ocean is like an enormous river...I get people from one bank to the other...I make sure they reach their journey’s end.’
'I understand your family and friends are holding a big ceremony for your fortieth birthday on the last day of October...I believe that is Halloween Day in your country,' asked Captain Charon.
‘Yes, my birthday falls on Halloween. I love meshing the shenanigans of Halloween with a fun and crazy birthday bash. All my family and friends will be in costumes – my boy Adam has been dressing up as a mountain climber the past couple of years – it’s the cutest sight.’
‘Everyone loves to emulate their heroes…when I was young my father worked in the mines…I had no problem with this dark and bleak world, but my older brother was my hero. And he loved to fly high in the sky – I found a common ground between him and my father…so here I am squarely positioned between the belly of the earth and the rivers of the sky.’
*****************************************************
Back in his cabin, Frank recounted the Captain’s point about sailors setting out to sea – making love to their wives like it would be the last time. It was true…every time he left on his excursions he would treat it like the last time he’d see his wife and child. Every time he would prepare his affairs - making sure his Will was up to date, but most importantly he left a letter behind only to be opened and read if he did not make it back.
Frank lay in bed reminiscing about some of his fabled climbs. He thought back a few years ago when he became one of the very few persons to conquer all 14 “eight-thousanders”, mountain slang for peaks higher than 8,000 meters or 26,000 feet. He remembered June of 2000 when he almost lost his life climbing Nanga Parbat in Kashmir – it was affectionately called the Man Eater.
Frank was coming home from an excursion of K2 – the second-highest mountain on Earth on the border between Pakistan and China. All the pro climbers called it Savage Mountain. Frank and many of his friends viewed it as the world’s most difficult peak to climb. A successful summit and Frank and his crew of three fellow climbers would set a world record for the most ascents.
Frank told Dona this was his last climb…and he meant it. After this climb he would focus more on his wife and child. He was turning forty this year. Frank knew his physical strength and ability was on the cusp of peak performance – it was time to stop doing the extreme climbs and let the new vanguard of younger climbers take the lead. The plan was to come home and start a climbing school in the area, work with an outdoor gear and clothing manufacturer in product development and testing and, most importantly put more time into his charity work. This was to be his big announcement.
It was a disappoint to end his climbing career with a failed attempt – in Frank’s mind the lack of success on climbing K2 put the final nail in his climbing career coffin. Frank and his crew were half way up the final ridge when an avalanche of ice, rocks and snow knocked them off the ice face and severed their ropes carrying them down 200 metres to a gully. A boulder hit Frank on the head as he tumbled downward and he blacked out. He regained consciousness in the field hospital. Thank God, he thought as he lay in the hospital bed, that they arranged to have a helicopter booked in case they needed to make an emergency airlift.
Regaining consciousness may not be the right way to frame Frank’s state of mind. Frank really did not feel connected back to the world throughout his recovery in the hospital. It was not until he was on the ship heading back home that he felt aware of his surroundings. And even then he felt detached as if the ship and everyone on it were surreal – like an out-of-body experience.
The details of his rescue and hospital stay were foggy. No one in the field hospital spoke English so he couldn’t get answers to his questions. He was so remote that no one even came to visit him in the hospital - and cell phone reception was impossible. Frank didn't over think the matter because he was in no state to make sense of anything. He took for granted that his caregivers arranged his passage on the ship and notified his wife and friends of his arrival. He figured the rest of his climbing team flew back and were waiting for him at his birthday party bash in Vancouver.
Frank looked out his cabin window and saw only a thick fog. He went back to sit on his bed. He still didn’t feel right – his head throbbed. He fell back on the bed into a deep sleep.
*******************************************************
Bang. Bang. Frank woke up. He was startled and yelled out, ‘run for cover.’
Bang, bang...there was someone knocking loudly on his cabin door - it finally registered with him.
‘Mr. Band, we’ve docked – we’re in Vancouver,’ said the voice from outside, ‘time for you to go to shore.’
Frank shook his head with disbelief. He must have slept for more than a solid week - or at least had slipped back into a stupor. Half finished dinner trays were scatter around the cabin.
He packed his backpack and walked off the ramp of the deck toward the dock.
‘Mr. Band,’ said a woman as he stepped onto the dock. ‘My name is Kera, I’ve been asked to escort you to your celebration.’
‘So what do they have planned for me…the regular costume party and birthday bash,’ asked Frank
‘Pretty much that’s it…a typical Halloween party that combines a tribute to you,’ replied Kera.
‘The twist is that it is a surprise party,’ she whispered, ‘I’m going to sneak you in the backdoor. I’ve got a costume for you and from there you can watch from behind the stage or secretly mingle with the crowd, but you shouldn’t approach anyone you know as you don’t want to spoil the surprise.’
‘Well, who knows I’m coming…someone has to be playing point on this,’ exclaimed Frank.
‘Richard Rochford planned the entire event,’ replied Kera. ‘Bob Johnson and Geoff Halcro helped.’
Richard, Bob and Geoff were Frank’s climbing partners.
‘Alright, this is going to be a good party,’ Frank said with glee.
Kera drove to the back of a convention hall. She took Frank by his arm and led him to a loading dock door. She took him to a room where they had his costume draped over a chair.
‘The theme for the party is to dress as a mountain climber,’ Kera told Frank.
Frank and his friends had used this theme repeatedly over the years – it meant dressing up as old school famous mountain climbers, but almost half the people choose to take a more unique and scary approach to it. Most of his friends dressed up as injured mountain climbers. They would wear basic climbing clothing that was all ripped up and wrap themselves in white bandages soaked with red dye and put on makeup to create bloody cuts and bruises. They would complete the costume with climbing ropes, camming devices, ice screws, carabineers and so on…as final touch they’d smudge mud or spray frost paint on their face and body. Frank always enjoyed the morbid side to the event – after all it was Halloween.
The costume they had put out for Frank was vintage 1950’s climbing clothing and gear – from Edmund Hillary’s time.
‘Wear the parka with the hood up and put on the goggles and not a soul will know it’s you,’ Kera advised.
*******************************************************
Frank opened the curtains just a crack from behind the stage. He saw the large crowd all dressed up as various mountain climbers – mostly banged up ones. Dona was standing at the side near the front of the stage. She was wearing vintage climbing clothing from the 1920’s. Wow, he thought, what a cool touch – Dona had attached angel wings to her back.
‘We fly in our dreams,’ she would always say when she needed to conquer a problem or think of innovative ways to get things done. Adam was holding her hand. His costume mirrored his Mom’s…right down to the wings on the back.
Frank felt a tap on his back and turned around. It was Richard. Frank wasn’t surprised to see Richard dressed up as an injured climber. He looked rather hideous and was truly in the spirit of Halloween.
‘Hi Frank, most everyone you know is out there to pay you homage,’ said Richard. ‘It must feel nice.’
‘It does feel nice – I’ve always seen turning forty as a major milestone in life,’ Frank replied. Frank gave Richard a big hearty hug. ‘It’s so good to see you buddy - great make-up.’
‘I’m glad I can be here to help out and celebrate this event with you,’ replied Richard. ‘I know there are people out there who don’t understand or even despise our lifestyle…I guess we have to roll with the punches.’
I’ve got a million questions to ask you about our K2 climb – I hardly remember anything,’ said Frank, ‘but, that can wait until later.’ Frank turned and looked through the curtain.
‘I’m going to go out among the crowd and see how stealth my costume is,’ said Frank.
Frank pulled up his hood and donned his goggles. The bushy fur trim around the hood hid most of his face and the dark lens in the goggles obscured the rest of his face.
Frank walked right by Dona…he even nodded at her. He went by totally unrecognized. Dona’s brother Kevin was a few paces away. Frank walked by him and brushed up against his elbow almost spilling Kevin’s drink. Kevin turned around and looked at him like he wasn’t there – one of those I can see right through you stares that Kevin liked to throw at people who piss him off. Frank knew now that his costume was working – he was totally incognito.
Out on the floor he saw Bob and Geoff - his teammates. Frank remembered that Kera said they knew about the surprise. Just like Richard, the two of them were dressed as injured climbers. Frank navigated around a dozen or so injured climbers until he caught up with them.
‘Hey, dudes…thanks for coming,’ Frank said.
‘I won’t be anywhere else even if my life depended on it,’ said Bob with a boisterous laugh.
‘Hey, partners stick together through thick and thin,’ said Geoff, adding ‘I’m looking forward to the speeches tonight.’
********************************************************
Frank walked around a bit more, passing and brushing up to good friends - no one identified him. Then he left the main floor and was walking down the exterior hallway to get to the back stage. The hallway was deserted. Then Adam came out from the washroom and walked directly toward Frank. Frank pulled the hood tighter around his face.
‘Hey, Daddy,’ shouted Adam just as Frank passed by.
Frank turn around and Adam ran into his arms.
‘Adam, it’s so good to hold you,’ said Frank. ‘I can’t believe you knew it was me through this costume.’
‘Mommy said you were still up on the mountain and wouldn’t be here,’ replied Adam, ‘but, I knew you’d make it.’
‘Adam, I love you very much,’ said Frank, ‘you are very special.’
‘I love you too Daddy,’ replied Adam.
‘You better get back to Mom,’ said Frank, ‘the ceremony is about to begin.’
Adam turned around and starting walking to the door that led to the main floor.
‘Adam, don’t tell Mom you saw me,’ added Frank, ‘this is supposed to be a surprise.’
‘Don’t worry Daddy, I’ll take care of Mommy,’ said Adam.
*****************************************************
‘Hurry up,’ said Richard as he stood by the curtains, ‘get over here - the shows about to begin.’
Frank separated the curtains slightly and looked out over the stage and party floor. Frank’s father, Mike was the master of ceremonies – Mike got up to the podium and whistled loudly to get everyone’s attention.
‘Hello everyone, we are all gathered here on my son Frank’s 40th birthday to celebrate his life,’ announced Mike. ‘So no further delays…here is my daughter, Frank’s sister, Beth – our first speaker of the night.’
‘Hi everyone thanks for coming,’ Beth said as she clung on to the podium. She pulled out a slip of paper and started reading from it, ‘my brother Frank was always a mountain climber at heart. He always liked to take things the hard way. Even when he was three years old in the backyard he opted to climb the fence rather then walk through the open gateway. He’d always say that he didn’t like to take the easy way. I told Frank that the Cole Porter song, “Don’t Fence me In” should be his anthem. Here are few lines from the song.
Just turn me loose
Let me straddle my old saddle underneath the western skies
On my cayuse
Let me wander over yonder till I see the mountains rise
I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
Gaze at the moon until I loose my senses
I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in
He loved the great outdoors and he lived to be the first to tackle challenges – like first ascents. He didn’t compete with fellow climbers, he only competed against himself. With a brother like this I was inspired to live my life more fully…Frank taught me the importance of embracing everything the day had to offer – plan for tomorrow, but don’t sacrifice the here and now for things that may never be. The most important lesson he taught me is that every endeavour you undertake is worthy and you should never doubt the courage and strength at your disposal to achieve what you set out to do – Thank you Frank – I love you.’
Beth was crying as she left the podium and walked over to Dona and Adam, giving them both a kiss and hug. She then sat down with them. Mike was back at the podium.
‘The next speaker is Kevin Henderson – Dona’s brother,’ Mike announced.
A strange hum issued from the audience.
‘Hello everyone, most of you know me and know my stand on the matter of mountain climbing,’ Kevin said in a very serious and sombre tone. ‘I know most of you despise me for my point of view…so I thank my sister for letting me have my say today.’
‘Frank could have been home in bed making love to Dona or playing catch with Adam in the front yard of his house, totally in a state of bliss. But, no…he had to risk his life and subject himself to endless suffering...climbing routes fraught with danger. You all know that I used to climb. Even though I didn’t do the extreme assaults like Frank, I’ve climbed many rock faces and gullies around our city. Once a huge rock wall broke loose and only by sheer luck I wasn’t hit by the falling rock shower – I was inches away from being sent plummeting to my death. Another time I was walking along a mountain path on a narrow ridge of what appeared to be solid granite when the ridge gave way under my feet – I scurried quickly and avoided a 300 metre fall. It didn’t take a genius to see what this path I was on would lead to.’
‘Those who climb to mountain-tops are half in love with life, and half in love with death,’ exclaimed Kevin as he slammed his fist down on the podium.
The crowd started buzzing with muffled sounds of discontent…a few people were booing.
‘Hello people – dangers and pitfalls that riddle this path like a minefield should be a wakeup call,’ continued Kevin raising his voice over the murmur of the crowd.
‘And I know Frank experienced countless dangerous brushes with fate. Mountain climbing is a crazy endeavour undertaken by foolish people…it is a selfish pursuit when you have a wife and child – in fact it’s just outright stupid. In the end all it does is bring grief and agony to the loved ones. Apparently, this K2 climb was to be his last…I guess Frank gets the message now.’
Kevin slowly left the stage. He looked over to his sister, Dona, and blew her a kiss. Countless angry eyes and subdued boos followed him off the stage.
‘It is now time for my daughter-in-law, Dona, to speak,’ announced Mike from the podium.
Dona slowly made her way to the centre of the stage. She had an envelope in her hand. She took a slip of paper out.
‘Hello to my dear family and friends, to honour Frank I will read you a letter,’ Dona said. She unfolded and flattened a letter on the podium. She cleared her voice and began reading.
‘As far back as I can recall I was driven by the extreme physical challenge to climb mountain tops. I realized that I did not have any faith in the manmade world – I found it too artificial.’
Dona paused and looked up at the people in the crowd…a few tears starting to roll down her cheeks.
Frank was alarmed.
‘Wait a minute,’ he yelled out, ‘I gave you that letter only to read in event of my death.’
His voice echoed back at him and no one seemed to hear it. Except Adam who looked toward the back of the stage.
‘Calm down,’ said Richard as he put his hand on Frank’s shoulder. ‘Let her finish.’
Dona continued reading.
‘I think that being divorced from nature robs us of our humanity – in fact I believe we’ve come to a point in civilization where we think we are above nature. As a mountain climber it has become my aim to share my experiences and illustrate the spiritual ties humans have to nature. I hope my books have clearly brought this home to the readers. As we push nature out of our lives I am convinced that the arrogance, intolerance and smugness of people are growing exponentially. I hope what I do reminds people of their bond with nature and can foster the better side of humanity in each individual.’
‘Many people question my sanity – why do I put myself in the face of death. Most climbers like me voluntarily do this for a greater good. It was always my goal to tap into the best facets of humanity through my spiritual climbing experiences and throw out the lessons I learned like lifelines to everyone who will listen. I like to believe that I’ve helped a few souls out there build a better life. I see no difference between what I do and Fire Fighters who put their lives on the line to save people within the community – people they don’t even know. One way or the other we do-gooders are either saving lives or souls.’
‘So some ask what compels people to climb mountains. You might as well ask why young children are drawn to play in ocean waves or sailors set out across unknown seas back when the world was flat or why we wanted to set foot on the moon. The answer is simple. Everyone gets a thrill and an ultimate sense of accomplishment when tackling the elements - we are playing in God’s playground - no other pursuit feels more natural. And in God’s playground you learn valuable lessons like how to play fair and care about each other…there is no other way.’
‘I found a unique religion on the mountain and a state of mind that makes you humble and bow to the majestic beauty and might of nature. All creation is sacred. I hope you see that my life was spent in the service of charity and good deeds while I did my best to cultivate justice, piety and honour for my family and community.’
‘I have touched the great beyond every time I stood on a mountain top. A Mountain is not an Olympic arena where I seek glory and triumph – it’s the altar where I seek God and pray. After each descent I realized and appreciated the many other mountain tops I have reached or strived for on level ground…like winning Dona’s heart and raising Adam to be a good and complete person. All these challenges and more brought me closer to a greater truth and happiness in life - I chose not to live in the shadow of the mountains...being idle or worse, casting dispersions on others from the comfort of an armchair.’
‘I have one big gift I leave to my treasured son Adam and my wife Dona - and it is this: Your dreams should be larger than mountains and you have the courage to scale their summits. We are all wonderful spirits stumbling around in the great unknown – you never have to figure it out, you just need to joyfully embrace it and give it your best. Love, Frank.’
‘I guess you understand now,’ Richard said as he put his arm around Frank.
‘None of us made it down from the mountain alive,’ said Richard.
Dona put the letter back into the envelope.
‘The child in Frank was always present,’ she said, ‘the Earth is vast and he would be the first one to admit that he stumbled through life like a child learning to walk. Frank saw life like a child sees colours through a kaleidoscope or hears music from a sea shell. Even as an adult Frank was like a child always learning to see and hear, he was thirsty and ravenous to soak up as much light, noise, love, colour, shapes, forms and details as he could.’
‘The world spoke to Frank through the winds, trees, rivers and ultimately the mountains. I can’t tell you how many times I’d catch him on the lawn chair in our backyard lost in thought staring at the mountain peaks off in the distance.’
‘Frank, is on to the next great conquest beyond life as we know it…Adam and I will always be climbing mountains, because life is one great peak you must strive to reach the top of – and like Frank said, we all have the courage to scale the summits of our dreams…I love you Frank.’
********************************************************
‘Don’t Fence me In,’ the Talking Heads' version, started playing over the sound system as Dona went over to Adam.
Tears were streaming down Frank’s face.
‘Come on Frank,’ said Richard. Bob and Geoff were standing beside Richard and looked anxious to leave.
‘We have to get back to the boat,’ said Bob.
‘Captain Charon told us that the only reason we made this stop was because you had lived your life with the virtue and integrity of a warrior of truth,’ added Geoff.
‘I understand everything now,’ Frank replied.
Kera came over to them.
‘I just got word from Captain Charon,’ said Kera, ‘Frank, you can stay if you want.’
‘Of course I want to stay,’ said Frank.
‘This kind of second life is granted rarely and only to people of the purest of heart and good will,’ replied Kera. ‘Your body is buried deep under the rock and ice of the mountain and will never be found. Charon has resurrected your body spirit and healed it, but your essence will linger and always be held in the bosom of the mountain…in a few moments you can stumble into the party and show yourself.’ Kera said as she pointed out to the crowd.
‘The moment you reveal yourself you will lose all memory of this and how you even got here,’ advised Kera. ‘It will be one of those grand mysteries in life – a blessing you or anyone else will never quite figure out...but in your heart and soul the truth of this second life will echo like a faint whisper in the deep caverns of the mountains and on special evenings when you are sitting out in your backyard you will hear the enchanting mountain song and smile.’
‘Go now,’ said Kera, ‘and scale the summits of your dreams.’
