How Wondrous ....

Mt. Fuji!

How Wondrous Are Thy Works!

When asked if I wanted to climb Mt. Fuji, I replied: sure, without so much as a second thought. It wasn't until we were in the store shopping the night before the climb, watching as my fellow climbers purchased everything from energy bars to oxygen. Oxygen? We're going to need oxygen, I inquired? I was given a dumbfounded look as they replied: uh...yeah. It was then that I thought perhaps I should've investigated this more. This was only going to take a couple of hours, right? 3...maybe 4.? Just a few miles, right? I heard an exasperated laugh before hearing: yeah, okay, if that's what you think.

The next morning we arose early to catch our train that would ultimately lead us to a bus that would take us to Mt. Fuji. I had seriously contemplated not going because the truth of the matter was: I didn't really feel up to. I would have much rather preferred to spend the money on a new pair of stiletto's from the outlet mall that I was looking forward to visiting. But...that's shallow. Yes, I know. But as I stated...I'm not really the rustic type of girl. I love competition and I'll be your most fierce competitor, however, I just wasn't in the mood to climb a mountain. I sighed and thought: come on G, how often do you get an opportunity to climb Mt. Fuji? Many of my random, slightly insane, adventures in life start with this same question. But as always the response was: okay, why not?

I arrived at Mt. Fuji determined to make the best out of the experience and equipped with 2 liters of water, 2 albuterol inhalers, 2 bottles of oxygen, 8 energy bars, 5 cups of mott's cinnamon applesauce, a pack of hand wipes, a jacket and a pair of fleece pants. I no longer had the problem with over packing, I had learned that lesson: pack light:) I was set. It was 1:30pm. We started to ascend and approximately 20 minutes into the hike we hit our first incline. I felt my muscles tighten as if to ask: what's going on? we don' did our 20 minute work out! However, forty-five minutes later I made it to the next station: station six. Our group of six had become two as I realized that I wasn't mentally strong enough to help anyone but myself. If someone moaned and said they wanted to quit, I knew I would be the first to "amen" their suggestion. So I decided that if I was going to make this climb, I would have to become mentally strong and focused. And to do so, I may have to go at it alone. (Tough lesson I've learned...)

I was surprised and encouraged to see people of all ages making the hike. You saw children as young as five to senior citizens as seasoned as in their 80s. There was one lady (there is a picture of us in the slide show above) who had to be in her seventies. Her back was bent and her smile gentle as I watched her make the hike: slow and steady her body seemed to say. I thought to myself how wise the elders are and how much stronger they are just by their lived experiences. The distance to station seven was eighty minutes. I just wanted to be there already. Isn't that how we are? We just want to be air lifted into the sunrise without having to go through any of the twist, turns and discomforts that the journey is guaranteed to bring. That thought made me laugh as I became more determined to make it. I had my hiking partner within view as his paced slowed and I began to take deep breaths from my belly. Okay Lord, keep my lungs open.

As we ascended, the humid air cooled and I decided that it was time to put on the fleece. As I replaced the bag onto my back, I realized how much lighter my load had become. Isn't that how life is? When you start something new it's always heavier, harder and more complicated in the beginning. However, as you buckle down and work at it, it becomes easier, lighter, more rewarding. Stay the course. That was my next thought as I guesstimated that I should be approximately 20 minutes from station seven. What I need is some motivation, some inspiration, some music! Gospel music. I reached into my bag and took out my ipod. Gianina's Gospel Tracks. I have a mixed assortment of gospel songs which are untitled, however as soon as the first chord struck, I knew the author. This author wouldn't be known as artist of the year. As I heard the first verse, I knew I was in trouble. I wouldn't be able to continue. I've gone through the fire and I've been through the flood. I've been broken into pieces, seen lightening flash from above. My steps began to slow. ...But through it all, I remembered, that he loves me, and he caaaares, and he'll never, put more on me, than I, can baaaarrrreeeee...my feet became heavy as I felt surrounded by the presence of my ancestors. Those who sacrificed their lives for me. My lips began to tremble. My lungs tightened. I was having problems breathing. I knew it was time, I had to let it go. Before I could give myself permission, I felt the tears falling down my cheeks. It wasn't up to me. My spirit was in control of this...not my mind...but my spirit. As the verse repeated I reflected upon my past. I thought back to a childhood stricken with asthma. I thought back to endless nights of breathing treatments. I saw the faces of friends murdered in the streets of Detroit. I remembered the despair of working a mindless job after graduation. I remember dreaming and wishing that I could be used for my purpose. To feel joy about my contribution to life. To be something different than what the statistics stated. I looked into the dark sky and saw the flash of lightening. Then it hit me: I'm climbing Mt. Fuji. I'm climbing Mt. Fuji...without so much as a wheeze!! I'm in Japan...I just left India! I was, literally, above it all. I actually had to look down to see the clouds. Then I heard the words: his word said he won't, I believe it, I receive it, yes I claim it, It's mine! I could feel the warmth of their smiles. My deliverance, my healing, my joy, yeeeaaahhh, it's mine, it's mine, it's mine...Their blisters bursting with pride...you can't have it, their unshakable faith...he'll neva put more on me than I can bare. I felt my arms raise to the sky as my constricted throat opened: thank you, thank you, thank you. Who else but the creator could bring me to this place? Who else but the creator could create this? I'm not here to debate or argue about who God is but to acknowledge and respect his/her/its presence. Thank you God. Thank you ancestors for your resilience and strength. Humbly, I sing, I scream, I cry...THANK YOU!

My First Earthquake!!!!

I'm wondering if eating bar-b-que chicken, potato salad and a mixture of mustard and collard greens right before bed, was the best thing to do.  

I dreamt that I was in a very dark place taking pictures.  Of what....I'm not sure.  The next thing I know, this dark place was my parents basement.  The next picture I took had the glow of a ghost.  I double check the LCD monitor on the camera  and noticed that it was a white glow of two gorillas.  Gorillas in daddy's basement.  I quickly ran up the basement stairs to show my father what lurked in his basement.  "Daddy, daddy, look!  There are gorilla's in your basement!"  My father replied: There ain't no gorilla's in that basement girl!"  Uh huh, I replied.  I showed him the picture that I'd captured in my digital camera.  "See," I said.  My father looked confused and upon closer inspection, we noticed that there were also monkeys in the picture.  "Well," my father stated, "we'll just have to wait for a couple of weeks before we can get that taken care of."  Wait for a couple of weeks?? I couldn't believe my father was going to let anything, whether it be finances or time, prevent him from getting these wild animals out of our house.  

I went to sleep and suddenly felt my bed rocking.  Oh my gosh, the monkeys must be in here.  I waited a little longer to see if my mind was playing tricks on me.  There's no way that the monkeys would have climbed the stairs, unlocked my door and started rocking my bed, was there?  However, I was lying on an inflatable mattress, perhaps, it was just losing air and that's why it rocked so hard when I turned.  But I wasn't turning and the bed was definitely swaying back and forth.  Leave me alone you evil monkeys! I just wasn't going to lie there and take it.  Okay, it's now or never.  I leapt to the bottom of my bed and was surprised to find no monkeys.  I lied back underneath the covers.   Maybe it was the monkeys spirits shaking my bed.  The shaking had stopped.  I fell back to sleep.

The next morning, as we prepared to head out to Mt. Fuji, my friend asked: did you feel the earthquake last night?  What earthquake, I replied?