Peaks and Cairns

Posted in By Brett T Kelley 0 comments


I've been absent for some time because I started a job at a camp outside Colorado Springs. Quite wonderful with mountains surrounding me and all the hiking and climbing opportunities. Yesterday the summer crew climbed the nearest/highest peak. I enjoyed it thoroughly, some of the others are a little foot, knee, leg, back...just all around sore from it. Every so often we'd get a glimpse of the peak and see that we're getting closer or worse, that it would not seem any closer at all. For the rest of the time, we follow the path where it leads. Every so often the path gets rather rough or unclear. This is due to run off, falling trees or rocks, or even just time. To help us with these moments, cairns are set up.


Cairns are small piles of stones that are set up every so often to let you know you're still on the path and going the right way. In the event that you go wrongly, you can always go back to the previous cairn and begin again. The cairns are also useful because you cannot always see the peak or destination you are heading for. Even in the event that you can see what you're after, a beeline or direct route may not be the best or safest. It is enough to follow one cairn at a time and arrive in due time and safely.

I don't like to make things over-spiritual, but I think about how we're told life is like a journey. Sometimes I know exactly what I want to do or get to, but not the steps to get there. Sometimes I get off track and have to retrace my steps and begin again. Other times I have to be content with only seeing the next cairn and thankful for the glimpses of the peak and seeing it closer.

Thoughts?