Climbing Monkey Rock

Reading Richard of Saint Victor's Mystical Ark, I am reminded of climbing a mountain once when I was about seven or eight years old when I was attending a school for missionary children. I felt quite alone and scared even though there must have been a couple dozen other children in the group and at least a couple of adults. Most of the older children had quickly climbed on ahead because they had already been there before and knew where they were going. The goal was to reach a certain large rock that was visible from the school where sometimes we would see monkeys playing. We called it Monkey Rock. I used to sit on the teeter-totter on the school grounds and watch the monkeys scamper around on it.

Anyhow, it had rained the day before so the climb was not only steep but slippery. The vegetation along the path had been ripped out by the children who had gone ahead so not only was there was no traction but there was nothing to grab hold of to use to pull myself up with. Another girl ahead of me was in the same predicament. I remember not wanting to give up because I wanted so badly to get to the rock, but feeling hopeless that I would ever get there. I remember digging my fingers into the dirt trying to somehow hold on so I could hoist myself up, but always slipping backward instead of moving forward.

Finally, at a point when I was really starting to feel sorry for myself, one of the big kids came back and gave us a hand so that we could get past that impassable place. And then I remember the exhilaration of finally being able to clamber up the rest of the way and feel my heart race as I looked down and over that massive rock where the monkeys played.

The point, of course, is that I couldn't have done it without that big kid giving me his hand and helping me make it to the top. That's what it's like in the spiritual ascent as well. The Holy Spirit who dwells in us, of course, enables us daily, but sometimes it really does help to have that hand of support offered by a friend.

Let me say thank you to all my friends who have offered their arm of support to me in recent times. I will not forget, and neither will our Lord!