shakespear once said

Although the first few miles of the hike up did not offer fantastic views, the vistas became spectacular once I climbed above a tree line.

At the summit, the view of the surrounding mountain range is spectacular. Immediately, I sensed that understanding the natural world parallels climbing a mountain. However, to have the most accurate view of the world, I must be dedicated to climbing the biggest mountain I can find. Attaining this union is my lifelong goal. However, this knowledge will form the foundation of an accurate view of the universe. Much like every step while hiking leads the hiker nearer the mountain peak, all knowledge leads to total understanding. Some people during their lives climbs many small hills. To reach my goal of total comprehension of natural phenomena, I realized that I must begin with knowledge that may be uninteresting by itself. The mountain showed me that I cannot content myself with the scenery. The hike taught me several valuable lessons that will allow me to increase my understanding.