Mountain Climber & Guide

I made used of the Chinese New Year break to pack my study room. I came across a newspaper article that carries the story of the late Sir Edmund Hillary. He was the first person to climb to the top of Mt. Everst in May 1953. This reminds me of a little known fact which I have read many years ago about Sir Edmund Hillary's Mt. Everst feat.

Hillary did not climb the Mt. Everst alone. He engaged a guide from Nepal, his name was Tenzing Norgay. On the way down, Hillary slipped and began to fall to a certain death, if it had not been for the quick-thinking Tenzing. He quickly slammed his ice pick into the ice wall creating a temporary brace for the rope - just long enough for Hillary to re-establish his hold. Upon reaching the bottom of Mt. Everst, they were surrounded by international press. When they heard the amazing rescue by Tenzing, they were quick to call him a hero. Being somewhat of a modest man, Tenzing's only response was, "Mountain climbers always help each other. After all, we are tied together."

We all have our own "Mt. Everst" in life. We all know how treacherous the journey can be when climbing without a guide. In different phases of our life, sometimes we are the climber, sometimes we are the guide. If we are the climber, the story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reminds us to appreciate our "guide" and not to take the guide for granted when we reach the apex of our own "Mt. Everst" in life. If we are the guide, this story reminds us that it is normal if people don't recognise you, the world knows Sir Edmund Hillary, how many knows Tenzing Norgay?

God bless you.