Yellow Mountain Trollie

I once took a four mile hike through the alpine tundra with a guide and a handful of tourists. It was a beautiful day and I could easily imagine how spectacular the view was to my sighted companions. The Continental Divide was in all its splendor and we were all in fine spirits.
One of our guides had a keen interest in wildflowers native to my mountains. At one point she stopped us on the trail to point out a Yellow Mountain Trollie. I asked if she might help me locate one of these delicate beauties so that I might feel it. As I ran a finger over the soft yellow petals I was struck how something so small and fragile could survive in such a harsh environment where snow could be found even in July.

 The mighty Lodgepole Pine could not sustain itself up this high. How does this seemingly weaker plant species live and, indeed, flourish so far up? Is not the tree the stronger species? What is the true measure of strength? Is it brute power? Is it the ability to adapt to one’s surroundings? The delicate alpine flora grows where the mighty tree cannot reach. The little marmot roams where the black bear will not. What can mankind learn from this lesson of the wild? An old woman walks to her church every Sunday morning through what many consider a dangerous neighborhood while the troublemaker takes safety in numbers with a gang. A modern day politician in good health plods away day after day counting money and votes while Theodore Roosevelt who was sickly and nearsighted spent his every free moment enjoying and preserving the wild places he roamed. Somewhere deep in an office building, tucked away in a cubicle, a man with perfect vision stares at a computer while a blind man wanders the mountains.
The natural world tells us that strength is not found in the muscle, but rather in the soul. The gentle flower that follows its heart will outpace the lumbering pine. The small marmot that reaches for the stars will finish the great race far ahead of the bear. The kind of strength that matters most in life is not found in the arms, legs, or hands. It is found within the spirit we are all born with. We need only search within ourselves to unlock our true potential. I stood up from where I had crouched to examine this natural marvel. A powerful feeling washed over me and in that moment I felt as though I could nearly move the entire Never Summer Range that stood in front of me. In the flower I had found new strength. What seemingly small wonder will unlock your power?