Climbing Mount Everest is one of the ultimate claims people ever make to buttress an image of being cool. I’ve met a few of these folks, and they almost make the event a part of their name: “Hello, my name is John-I-climbed-Everest.”
What most people don’t know is that very few people climb Everest without considerable assistance from Sherpas, the name of an ethnic group in eastern Nepal—the location of Everest and eight of the highest fourteen mountains in the world. The name of their ethnic group, in fact, has almost become synonymous with anybody who helps carry equipment and supplies for the people who climb the highest mountains.
Climbing Everest requires a lot of planning and coordination. People acclimate to base camp for weeks, and from there they move in stages from one camp to another, eventually assaulting the summit on the last day. Each move is accompanied by the movement of food, climbing equipment, tents, oxygen bottles, and more, most of which is carried by the Sherpas. Before a climber from the outside world reaches the top, some of the Sherpas have been up and down between the camps as many as four or five times. These natives make the climb possible. Two of them have reached the summit 21 times each.
Real Love is often like a climb to the top of a very high mountain. We need help, and fortunately there are wise men and women who are willing to shuttle up and down to assist with the heavy lifting. You don’t have to climb alone. Make use of those who have more experience and are acclimated to the climb.
