Climb Every Mountain
This week we heard that the great Edmund Hillary died at the age of 88. Hillary became a hero because he and his partner were the first men to step on the Earth’s highest peak, Mount Everest, in 1953.
We know little about the man after this first step for mankind, but let it be known that his heroism continued throughout his life. For many years, Sir Edmund was president of New Zealand’s Peace Corps, and an important voice in his country’s conservation efforts. He never ran for public office, but was a frequent critic of New Zealand’s Government, calling for antipollution and other measures to improve the quality of life.
In his 1999 autobiography, View from the Summit, Hillary wrote of his wish to be cremated and his ashes scattered at sea.
“When climbers die on a mountain, the understandable reaction of family and friends is to say that they died doing what they enjoyed most and their bodies rest on the mountains they loved,” he wrote.
“However, I’ve never had any desire to end my days at the bottom of a deep crevasse - I’ve been down too many of them for that to have much appeal.
“I’m a somewhat fearful person and would prefer to go peacefully if that were possible.
“I should even like my ashes to be spread on the beautiful waters of Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf to be washed gently ashore, maybe on the many pleasant beaches near the place where I was born.
“Then the full circle of my life will be complete.”
Let’s see if his wishes are fulfilled.
Sir Edmund, MFF have taken the liberty of choosing your funeral song for you. Climb in Peace friend!
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