Sometimes a mountain reminds you that things can last a very long time. Mountains dominate their environment. And yet, things that do last a very long time often go unnoticed. Well, they are always there aren’t they? It’s easy to live by a mountain and never notice it. You can look right through it’s moods and little personality quirks. Most things that have been around a long time are just chock full of quirks. Age does that too you. Of course time and exposure soften those quirks. Your quirks, like the rest of you can become just part of background.

As I looked out at the mountains in this place so far from home, they reminded me THEY would be there when I leave. They would still be there after all those temporal lifeforms in the little boxes are long vanished from their shoulders. Even castles crumble. Pyramids erode. Human creation can hardly outlive a mountain. (maybe nuclear waste. . . but that’s another story)

Sometimes our human brains want to live forever. We can’t face being temporary or unnoticed. We want to be mountains looming large in the distance for all to see. For some this is a life’s goal. To be seen. To leave a mark. To count. Yeah, it’s hard not to want recognition. We want the universe to know we existed. Like a nova we want our temporary light to shine brighter than all the stars in heaven.

Truth is, people become used to mountains. They see right past them. From earth only a scientist with his lens focused on the nova will actually see it. In the end I think we could become mountains and find it still would not satisfy our hidden narcissistic desires. We would stand there so big, and dominate our world and still everyone around us would still be worrying about a road trip to Tescos. We would still be almost, invisible.

The mountain asks, “Do YOU want to be a mountain?”. “No.”, I thought. Maybe I just want to enjoy the day.

I think I’ll go for a hike.