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Take the Stairs

I get a shifty look from all of the people congregating at the elevators as I pass by on my way to the stairs. I make my way past the crowd in pursuit of sparsely used door leading to the stairs. I hold no grudges or pass any judgment on the group that has chosen to take the assisted route.

I turn the handle and enter the cold and quiet hallway that houses the multistory building’s stairs. The passage up to the zenith of the building houses a road less travelled. Aligning this ascending route with a transcendental metaphor brings about a notion that can be applied to any discipline.

A long time ago my grandmother gave a short piece of advice that while simple in nature holds vast universal knowledge.

“Take the stairs.”

On the surface taking the stairs represents a little more work involved to attain a common goal. The elevator will most likely take you to the same location that the stairs will, with much less effort. So why then choose the latter?

While taking the stairs you expose your body to an elevated heart rate and test the limits of your cardiovascular system. Such is the case in embarking upon any endeavor in which we apply this theory. There is always a path of least resistance when faced with a decision. Upon which will result in a favorable outcome. But at what point is the outcome so trivialized that the means is not revered?

The means in which an end is satisfied has descended to that of a menial task. What used to be the litmus test of greatness now is a nuisance. The stairs offer a slower and less glamorous road in which to analyze the end. The end has become the focus of energy. Means in which are implemented to realize an end are irrelevant. What this does is compromise the integrity of the end.

Opportunities frequently arise, promising accelerated arrival to the desired destination, whatever the destination is. These opportunities strip the reliability of the end. The end’s importance has stolen our sense of presence. The sense of presence is the hallmark of a craftsman. If the desire for an effective end is valued, the means upon which the end is realized are paramount.

This neglect of the means in which we employ to reach ends is apparent in all aspects of life. From personal development all the way down to government, our processes have been trivialized. Change should be slow. Any change that is taken in an accelerated manner exponentially increases the margin of error. Even though error is essential, it is not beneficial to base means to an end on error.

Speaking metaphorically, taking the stairs is akin to employing a more traditional and proven method. Wisdom is gained through comprehension of the process. Shortcuts rarely offer the value of experience. Shortcuts will give an end that is not fully understood. The fruits of life are realized in the details. If those details are trivialized, what is the point?

Delving deeper into the metaphor of the stairs versus the elevator, control is relinquished upon the entrance of the elevator. Once you have committed to allow the elevator to carry you to the destination, you outsource the experience of the journey. If control is no longer managed the end is in jeopardy.

The next time you encounter an elevator, make an effort to find the stairs. You too will notice the herd’s confused look as they anticipate the elevator to deliver them to their destination. Who knows, we just might cross paths in echo filled stairwells of life.