- By: Maj Aamir Zia (R)
Many years ago, while serving in the mountains, a simple thought came to me during a difficult climb. In a moment of exhaustion, I remarked to a companion, “A mountain is much like an onion.” The words were unpolished, but the idea never left me.
Time has only strengthened that impression.
An onion reveals itself one layer at a time. Peel away one covering and another appears beneath it. A mountain behaves in much the same way. Every ridge conceals another ridge, every summit reveals another height, and every turn in the trail opens the way to a fresh challenge. What appears simple from a distance proves astonishingly intricate up close.
The deeper the climb, the steeper the path becomes. Each step demands greater patience, stronger resolve, and humbler expectations. Yet the hardship is rewarded with wider horizons and a clearer understanding of both nature and oneself.
Perhaps life follows the same pattern. Knowledge, character, and wisdom cannot be uncovered in a single effort. They reveal themselves gradually to those who keep moving despite fatigue and uncertainty. Every achievement is only another layer waiting to be explored.
The mountain teaches that there are no shortcuts to meaningful discovery. Like the onion, it keeps its finest secrets hidden beneath successive layers, inviting only the persistent traveller to uncover them.
Those who reach the summit often discover that the greatest reward is not the peak itself, but the person they have become during the climb.