A Journey Through Physical to Soul
When you climbed latest ? Will you go out for a climbing journey, not only benefit your body, but also clarify your thoughts
On August , I ascended Mount Luofu. Ten hours, 1,296 meters. Rain fell in fits and starts, the mountain shrouded in mist, the path ahead veiled in layers of fog, at times revealing only a few meters around me. Pausing to shelter from the rain, doubts crept in: should I turn back? Yet, all around, I saw others—elders, children, women—pressing upward and downward. As the rain eased, I took a deep breath and continued.
The Fork in the Path
The path forked: one route bustled with travelers, the other a quiet stone stairway, devoid of human presence. I chose the solitary trail, my heart tinged with unease. For a stretch, no soul appeared, and loneliness settled over me. Suddenly, a voice broke through: “Raincoat? Water?” A modest shop emerged from the trees. My unease softened, and I rested there. Soon, a young man passed by, then a father and daughter. The sense of solitude began to fade.
As they prepared to leave, the father smiled and asked, “Heading up?” I countered, “And you?” “Onward,” he replied, “to toughen my girl.” She was barely ten, her eyes bright with fearless resolve, his voice warm with pride and encouragement. A stir in my heart: if a young girl could brave the rain, what had I to fear?
Clad in my raincoat, I pressed on with renewed purpose. More travelers appeared, their steps steady, their gazes resolute. My loneliness dissolved, replaced by a quiet harmony: in the misty rain, we inspired one another, companions on the journey.
Paths of Life, Paths of Civilization
The mountain path stirred reflections on life and the choices that shape civilization. The fog obscuring the way mirrored humanity at history’s crossroads: retreat or advance? Cling to safety or stand firm? The resolve of that father and daughter led me to ponder greater choices. I thought of Zelenskyy and Putin, two figures in stark contrast. One, knowing the personal cost, chose the harder path—resisting for the sake of his people and nation’s future. His courage, wisdom, responsibility, and goodness shine as a beacon of civilization. The other placed personal gain above all, casting aside nation and people, driven by arrogance, greed, and folly. Their choices lay bare the light and shadow of human nature.
A freer, more civilized, more just path is no mere slogan—it is an ascent, a “mountain road.” It may seem daunting, yet it draws more companions along the way. In contrast, the path of selfishness and tyranny grows ever narrower, leading to a nowhere.
The Impossible Triangle
This brought to mind the “impossible triangle” of life. You cannot have clear skies, a renowned vista, and solitude all at once, just as climbing a mountain demands trade-offs. If the privileged few claim the view for themselves, it comes at the cost of others—a zero-sum game. For two thousand years, dynasties rose and fell, dragon-slayers became dragons, only to be slain again, trapped in a cycle of destruction. To break free, civilization must embrace a positive-sum game, grounded in collective justice, where individuals are free to choose their best path, leading to a greater good for all.
Investing follows a similar truth. The way of investment lies not in chasing fleeting gains but in cultivating wisdom, discerning value, and holding fast to integrity. Buy when the path is quiet, sell when the crowds roar—this is the logic of value. To entangle with worthless pursuits, rushing in amid the clamor and fleeing in desolation, is to squander oneself, draining money, energy, and life itself.
The Road Ahead
The mountain’s mist will lift, as will the fog of civilization’s future. Loneliness is fleeting; on the true path, we find companions. The ancients, caught in dark times, could only confide in mountains, rivers, or the moon. But we, living today, have the chance to walk the road of civilization together. Choose courage, wisdom, goodness, and justice, and the path widens, the people we meet inspire, teach, and endear—a road to light. Choose arrogance, greed, folly, and malice, and the way, though seemingly easy , narrows to darkness, a road to ruin.
The mist of Climbing Mount taught me: choices shape destiny. May we all, at life’s crossroads, step boldly toward the path of light. May we walk together, and may the road ahead grow ever broader.
Have you ever faced a “foggy crossroads” in your own life? What did you choose? Drop your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear your stories and reflection.