THE WAY IS SET….

1…The response was fantastic…..
We had the second Mount Kinabalu climbers meeting and the turnout was really good. We tested the group and we were so pleased to see this group in fairly good condition. The home exercises were demonstrated and the climbers encouraged to consistently do the exercises at home. So what else did I share?

2…Friendships that may last a lifetime…..
I told the group that besides the excitement of reaching the peak, many of the climbers will become friends for life. I also told them that if they were to continue this life-style of goodness, they will see a significant change in their level of healthiness. It is a great joy to experience “great” health. Why settle for a life that the chickens live when you can be an eagle.

3…The wonderful story of renewal – the way of the eagles
Do you know that eagles pay a price. Eagles live a lifespan of about 70 years. However, they can reach this milestone only if they do something when they are at the age of around 35 to 40. This is when they must make a decision. This decision embodies the “renewal” of life.

4…The process of renewal – paying the required price
At this juncture, the eagle must decide to find a place in the craggy hills where it must spend at least 150 days. If it doesn’t spend this time in renewal, it will never live its full span of life. During the 150 days, a few things happen.
1. It’s beak has grown too long for it to be effective. It must break its beak against a rock until the old beak breaks and then it waits for the new beak to grow and strengthen. This is a painful process but it is something that must be done.
2. Once the beak is strong enough, it will use the beak to break its nails which has grown too long such that it cannot grasp its prey anymore. It will break off its nails and claws and wait for the new ones to grow. This again is a painful process and it is something that is not an option.
3. Once the new claws and nails grow, together with its new beak, it will tear off all its old feathers. The old feathers have grown too thick and heavy and it must be shed off. All the old feathers will have to go and new feathers grown. When the new feathers are all grown, the eagle is now ready to take off on its “new” flight. With the lighter and new feathers, the eagle will now fly and soar higher than it has ever done before.

5…The flight of renewal
It is the flight of renewal and its latter 30 years will be more fulfilling and enriching than its earlier 40 years. What an illustration of the process of life. Today so many people think that their aging is set in cement and when they cross the threshold of 50, they should retire and just wait for death to come. How wrong they are!!

6…You have the best years ahead of you – never look back
If we take the model of the eagle, I want to say this to those who are 40, 50, 60 and even 70 that there is much living ahead of you. You can lead still fulfilling lives of tremendous achievement if you constantly renew your life and your existence. It is a principle that resets your body clock and helps you find new horizons in your existence. You don’t need to look back because you can look forward with vigor and vibrance.

7…New qualities come….. It will make you better
I am telling you that you can climb many more mountains in your life and where you have lost out in a bit of flexibility and speed, you can more than make up for it in wisdom and strategy.

8…It’s the determination and purpose that counts
Yes, you can climb Mount Kinabalu at whatever age with whatever pains you have so long as you understand that you should always move forward with determination and purpose.

9…SEE YOU ALL AT THE TOP!!

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10…Featuring climb Personalities - Sam
Today I feature Samantha, my wonderful Assistant who is helping me to organize this climb. Young and vibrant, she specializes in event and project organization. She has done many adventurous outings and she is climbing Mount Kinabalu for the second time. In her time with me, she has learnt many new skills. Today, she is also a reasonable diver and she can execute front and back somersaults with ease.

She loves the outdoors and is game for anything that requires some degree of difficulty. She loves dogs and has two of her own. Engaged to a wonderful guy, she finds the outdoors something that gives her fresh motivation on each trip.