Sherpa Image

It's possible that Sir Edmund Hillary could have made it to the top of Mt. Everest without his Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay. It's possible... but not likely. Without the help and guidance of Itzak Stern, Oskar Schindler wouldn't have saved the lives of 1000 Jews during the Holocaust. Behind every man or woman who has accomplished anything impressive, done the extraordinary, or who has succeeded against all odds, there is, invariably, a humble person quietly untangling the ropes and keeping the books. Said person is usually not a best friend or lover, but someone who simply steps into the fray and meets a need.

Too often we demand that people bend to our expectations before we accept them. We forget that others are going through the same kinds of trials and tribulations that we are. We all have a path to follow. That those paths intersect and occasionally weave, in my mind, is prodigious. It's the presence of others that adds the magic to our lives. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. And again, and again, and again. This one is important enough to repeat endlessly. You never know who is going to come into your life, or when, or what kind of and how much effect they'll have. It pays to treat everyone with respect until they prove otherwise deserving.

Who is the Tenzing Norgay in your life? Would you recognize him if he showed up, much less be ready for him? Perhaps most importantly, can you let go of pride enough to allow a Sherpa to shoulder some of the load?

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.
~Sir Edmund Hillary

Sir Edmund Hillary & Tenzing Norgay