FOR THE RIVER-NEVER-[AR]GUES WITH THE MOUNTAIN.

[THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I BELIEVED LIFE WAS A SERIES OF MOUNTAINS TO CLIMB.

EACH MOUNTAIN REPRESENTED A PROBLEM TO SOLVE, A PERSON TO CONVINCE, A PAIN TO OVERCOME, OR A DESTINATION TO REACH. I KEPT BELIEVING THAT PEACE WAS WAITING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE NEXT SUMMIT.

BUT SOMETHING QUIET CHANGED.

I BEGAN WATCHING A RIVER.

THE RIVER NEVER STOPPED TO ARGUE WITH THE MOUNTAIN.

IT NEVER CALLED THE MOUNTAIN AN OBSTACLE.

IT NEVER DEMANDED THAT THE MOUNTAIN MOVE.

IT NEVER STOOD AT ITS BASE INSISTING THAT LIFE WOULD FINALLY BEGIN ONCE THE MOUNTAIN WAS GONE.

IT SIMPLY KEPT FLOWING.

THE MOUNTAIN WAS NEVER ITS ENEMY.

THE MOUNTAIN WAS PART OF THE LANDSCAPE THAT GAVE THE RIVER ITS COURSE.

WITHOUT THE MOUNTAIN, THE RIVER WOULD NOT HAVE FOUND THIS PARTICULAR PATH.

THAT DOES NOT MEAN EVERY BEND WAS EASY.

IT DOES NOT MEAN EVERY RAPID WAS PLEASANT.

IT SIMPLY MEANS RESISTANCE WAS NEVER THE RIVER’S IDENTITY.

THE RIVER DID NOT ESCAPE.

IT REMAINED.

AS I LOOK BACK OVER MY OWN LIFE, I REALIZE MUCH OF MY SUFFERING WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE MOUNTAIN.

IT CAME FROM ARGUING WITH THE FACT THAT THE MOUNTAIN EXISTED.

I WANTED LIFE TO LOOK DIFFERENT BEFORE I COULD HAVE PEACE.

I WANTED CIRCUMSTANCES TO CHANGE BEFORE I COULD BREATHE.

I WANTED ANSWERS BEFORE I COULD TRUST.

HONESTY INVITED ME TO SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.

IT INVITED ME TO STOP ARGUING.

NOT TO GIVE UP.

NOT TO BECOME PASSIVE.

BUT TO SEE CLEARLY WHAT WAS ALREADY HERE.

WHEN I STOPPED RUNNING FROM MYSELF, SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENED.

THE MOUNTAIN DID NOT DISAPPEAR.

MY WAR WITH IT DID.

THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A DIFFERENT KIND OF FREEDOM.

OVER TIME I BEGAN TO DISCOVER SOMETHING THAT SURPRISED ME.

HONESTY DOES NOT CREATE TRUTH.

HONESTY REMOVES WHAT HIDES IT.

LAYER BY LAYER, THE STORIES I HAD TOLD MYSELF, THE FEARS I HAD DEFENDED, AND THE IDENTITIES I HAD CLUNG TO SLOWLY FELL AWAY.

WHAT REMAINED WAS NOT SOMEBODY NEW.

IT WAS SOMEONE WHO HAD STOPPED ESCAPING FROM MYSELF.

PERHAPS THAT IS WHY THE RIVER NEVER ARGUED WITH THE MOUNTAIN.

THE RIVER HAD NOTHING TO PROVE.

IT TRUSTED THAT EACH BEND WOULD REVEAL THE NEXT.

IT DID NOT NEED TO SEE THE ENTIRE JOURNEY BEFORE TAKING THE NEXT STEP.

TODAY I NO LONGER BELIEVE LIFE IS ABOUT CONQUERING MOUNTAINS.

I BELIEVE IT IS ABOUT LEARNING TO FLOW HONESTLY THROUGH THE LANDSCAPE OF OUR OWN LIVES.

THE MOUNTAINS WERE NEVER MY ENEMIES.

THEY BECAME SOME OF MY GREATEST TEACHERS.

THE RIVER DID NOT WIN.

THE MOUNTAIN DID NOT LOSE.

TOGETHER, THEY REVEALED THE LANDSCAPE.

AND PERHAPS THAT IS WHAT HONESTY HAS BEEN DOING ALL ALONG.

NOT ASKING ME TO BECOME SOMEONE ELSE.

SIMPLY INVITING ME TO STOP RUNNING LONG ENOUGH TO SEE WHAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TRUE.

THE RIVER NEVER ARGUED WITH THE MOUNTAIN.

IT DID NOT NEED THE MOUNTAIN TO CHANGE BEFORE IT COULD CONTINUE.

IT ONLY NEEDED THE COURAGE TO KEEP FLOWING.

PERHAPS PEACE WAS NEVER WAITING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.

PERHAPS PEACE BEGAN THE MOMENT THE ARGUMENT ENDED.

AS YOU READ THESE WORDS, I DO NOT WONDER WHETHER YOUR MOUNTAIN LOOKS LIKE MINE.

I WONDER WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN ARGUING WITH.

PERHAPS IT IS A MEMORY.

PERHAPS IT IS AN EXPECTATION.

PERHAPS IT IS ANOTHER PERSON.

PERHAPS IT IS YOURSELF.

I CANNOT ANSWER THAT FOR YOU.

NOR WOULD I WANT TO.

YOUR JOURNEY IS NOT MINE TO WALK.

IF YOU FIND YOURSELF THINKING ABOUT MY RIVER MORE THAN YOUR OWN, THEN I HAVE MISSED MY PURPOSE.

THIS STORY WAS NEVER MEANT TO END WITH ME.

IT WAS WRITTEN SO YOU MIGHT PAUSE FOR A MOMENT… BREATHE… AND LOOK HONESTLY AT THE RIVER THAT HAS BEEN FLOWING THROUGH YOUR OWN LIFE ALL ALONG.

WHEREVER YOUR NEXT BEND MAY BE, I HOPE YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO STOP ARGUING LONG ENOUGH TO SEE WHAT HONESTY HAS BEEN QUIETLY WAITING TO REVEAL.]

FOR THE HONOR OF YOUR SOUL’S-EVOLUTION IS WITH THE BLESSING AND GRATITUDE BY THIS POSTMASTER: Ephraim-H: Troyer.

: HONESTY JUST NEEDS AIR.

: LOVE HAS NO CONDITIONS.

: FACTS HAVE NO FEELINGS.

: HUMILITY HAS NO EGO.

: ANCHOR.

: PILLAR.