You're hit with a test
And just as you will your mind to rationalise it all
And force your heart to accept that it was written
You're hit with another test
Then another, and another
Your soul is battered and bruised
You feel dazed as though this
This is some nightmare and surely you'll wake from it
How can you be served not one difficulty
But several all at once?
You feel like your fragile heart can't manage this
Where you could once see the image of your future before you
It is now obstructed by a mountain pegged firmly to the earth
A mountain you know you must climb
In order to move forward into your future
Into your life
You don't know if your heart is racing
Or if it has slowed down to such an extent that it will collapse
So much confusion all around you and inside of you
All you can see is the distance of where you are now
From where the top of the mountain is
The peak of the mountain signifies the halfway point
You wonder how on earth you're going to get there
Knowing the descent will be much easier
Eyes fixed on the peak
You feel defeated and too tired to even commence the climb
You're exhausted, energy depleted and feel alone
Pause. Stop. Breathe.

Take your sight away from the mountain
Take your sight away from the peak
The climb will happen at some point
It has to, it's a part of your future, it is inevitable
But right now, there's something else that needs your attention. Something far more important
It's time for preparation

Look around you
Who will make the climb more difficult for you?
Let them go for now

Who will be your support during the climb?
Who will climb with you? Solicit their help, now

Make your plan of days when you will train your mind, body, heart and soul for the challenge ahead
Days when you will simply rest to regather energy
And days when you will give it your all.

Break the challenge down into parts
Day one I'll attempt this part; day 2 that part
This part will be easier; this part will be more difficult
This part will require dua the night before - in the last part of the night
This part will require me letting go of perfectionism and calling on my tribe to climb with me
Allah placed the mountain before you because He wants to stretch your climbing abilities
He wants to push you to your limits and only a mountain can do that He wants you to face yourself in the mirror and acknowledge everything that is so very real about you
Your strengths and your weaknesses
He wants you to see the tools he has scattered around you. Scattered, because He wants you to take the steps to reach out,
Collect them and use them
Then He'll run to be your Aid
Tools such as people who will literally stand behind you
Ready to catch you as you climb
Memories of previously climbed mountains - what you did then and what you can do now; memories of times where, despite being exhausted, you raised your hands towards the sky and begged Him for help, and He did
He wants to extract a stronger you from you
He wants a needier heart from you
He wants a soul that has accepted the challenge
Persevered through the challenge
And emerged from the other side with lessons like no other

You, who has a mountain in front of you
Remember you are the same person that climbed your mountains of yesterday
Yesterday was brought to you by the same Lord that has brought you today, and will bring your tomorrow
The mountains you climbed yesterday included the Best Guide
The Creator of the mountain
What does this mean? It means you've done this before with Him. You can do this again with Him
Different mountain, yes
But a stronger you with experience
A stronger heart who has experienced the guidance from the Ultimate Guide who knows you and this mountain inside and out.

Mountains are not sent just for the mere climb
They're sent to teach you so much about yourself
And the One who made them and placed them before you
Gather your tools
Let go of anything that's going to weigh you down
Plan, train, rest, climb. Repeat
You've got this. He's got you. Let the ascent begin.