KILIMANJARO AND BEYOND (A Life-Changing Journey) ~ by Barry Finlay with Chris Finlay ~
I loved this meticulous chronicle of one man’s ascent (together with his son and another individual fulfilling a lifelong aspiration), to the highest mountain in Africa ~ at once so inspirational and courageous, so human and humane, and so deeply personal that the reader feels they are climbing right along with this small and highly determined group. I was so struck most particularly at how the author, Barry Finlay, shows how everything in his life had been significantly interrelated, from early childhood on the farms of Rapid City and the noble values instilled, to the precipitating health crisis which led him to completely transform and repair himself physically, so much so that the ultimate trek seemed an inevitably from the very beginning. “I am sitting here because of everything that has come before.”
The writing style is so personal, filled with richest detail of all the steps leading up, perfectly interspersed with comments from Barry Finlay’s son and best climbing friend as the 2 scaled the mountain, together observing changes in blood pressure, oxygen levels, avoiding altitude illness, confronting points where it just seemed impossible to go on, and the culminating victory of arrival at the summit bearing the flag, signed by 200 glorious names, who had supported their dual purpose journey of not only climbing to the summit but raising funds to build a classroom and to restore clean water for the heartbreakingly impoverished children of Tanzania’s Mwanza.
This is a story of victory and renewal, of overcoming of every obstacle, of determined physical and spiritual renewal ~ the heart and substance of which can be applied to any challenge the reader may be confronting in their own life, and certainly if one is interested to climb Mount Kilimanjaro themselves, every detail from the choice of right tour guide to thorough descriptions of all that one needs to make a successful trek up, is richly shared with the viewer. For truly, one feels as if they are indeed viewing the whole climb, experiencing the breathtaking majesty, facing the awesome “unknown”, and coming to new attitudes about life and precious existence in the eternal now, far more than just reading.
I highly recommend “Kilimanjaro and Beyond” ~ to all who seek to rise above limitation in their lives, or to simply partake in a most wonderful, transcendent and exhilirating journey, for as Barry Finlay shares with us, there is nothing that cannot be overcome nor achieved with right determination and preparation. Yes, Kilimanjaro…And Beyond! A life changing experience!!!
By Reverend Dr. Linda De Coff, Author/BRIDGE OF THE GODS, A Handbook for Ascending Humanity, The Golden Pathway to your Highest God Self!
Founder/New Thought International, Inc. (An Association of Global Centers for World Peace and Enlightenment)
