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The Pastoral Lens
The Price of 15 Minutes of Fame
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
I am not a mountain climbing enthusiast. I don't even like riding roller coasters, let alone scaling the height of a Rainier, or a Pike's Peak, or even an Everest. Of course, Mt. Everest is the crown jewel of climbing, and only a few people have bragging rights to say that they have achieved the feat. Many, many have tried, and a fair number of them have paid for the adventure with their lives, yet the prestige and challenge of conquering the world's highest mountain still looms large. There is just something so gratifying to be able to say, "I reached the top of Mt. Everest."Perhaps all of the folklore and hype surrounding the accomplishment of conquering Everest is the reason we can come across the 2 stories that I read this past week. The first one surrounds the tragic demise of David Sharp, an English climber who succumbed to apparent oxygen deprivation. It's bad enough to learn that this man failed in his quest to reach Everest's summit, but it boggles the mind to find out that some 40 other fellow mountaineers decided not to assist him despite his drastic situation. Where is the good Samaritan when you need him? Did I read this correctly? A man was near death and in desperate need of help, but 40 people couldn't lay aside their "dream" to prevent tragedy. Are you kidding me? What did these people say to the dying man, anyway? "Hey, David, I'm sorry about your luck but this is Everest, and well, you know, it may be my only chance. God be with you!" Do these climbers actually believe that a man's life means less than the 15 minutes of fame they would get at Everest's peak?
Thankfully, this was not the only story I came across this week on this subject. I also read about Australian climber, Lincoln Hall. After reaching the summit on Thursday, he developed life-threatening symptoms of altitude sickness on the descent. His wife and children were told he had died. He spent the night alone at the 8700 metre level of the mountain, abandoned by his Russian-led team, as he could not be moved. However, unlike the unfortunate Englishman, David Sharp, there would be no need to make funeral arrangements. The reason was that several climbers found him the next morning. One of those who found him was Andrew Brash. The unselfish climber and his team gave Hall tea, oxygen, and a radio for communication. Hall later received more medical attention from Sherpas who moved him to a warmer tent. But here's the kicker: Canadian Andrew Brash, in his second attempt at Everest in 2 weeks, abandoned his ascent just 200 metres from the top in order to help Lincoln Hall. What 40 other mountaineers couldn't find in themselves to do a week earlier, this unselfish man from Calgary did. His wife is quoted as saying, "I'm sure he has some mixed emotions, maybe not right now, but in the future he might, and it will probably haunt him for the rest of his life." I beg to differ. Saving a life ranks much, much higher than reaching some pinnacle of athletic performance, whatever that pinnacle may be. Brash's wife later said, "But I know that he'll be happy with his decision, and it's a greater achievement than actually reaching the summit, to be part of saving someone's life." I'm guessing that Lincoln Hall thinks saving lives is more impotant than reaching summits, too. It's too bad that David Sharp didn't climb a week later. He may still be alive today if he had unselfish people around him, but this was not the case.
Let me ask you something. Who are you leaving for dead while you scale the "Everests" of your life? No job promotion, dream home, or sports pursuit is worth abandoning precious time with the ones we love. Donald Trump may have Trump Towers and a popular television reality show, but I wouldn't go to him for marriage counseling. His values and priorities are not what I need to make it in life. I'd rather follow the Andrew Brash's of this world, men who are willing to give up their dream to save a dying man. I also think of another Man, the greatest One who ever lived. He "made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant...and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." (see Philippians 2:7-8). Now there's a hero! So, what summit are you aiming for these days? Is the ascent coming at the expense of those you love? Perhaps you should stop and reevaluate a little. Is the ascent you're on right now worth that 15 minutes of fame?
