Everest silences you...when you come down, nothing seems worth saying, nothing at all. You find the nothingness wrapping you up, like a sound. Non-being. You can't keep it up, of course. the world rushes in soon enough. What shuts you up is, I think, the sight you've had of perfection: why speak if you can't manage perfect thoughts, perfect sentences? It feels like a betrayal of what you've been through. But it fades; you accept that certain compromises, closures, are required if you're to continue.
The experience of climbing Everest leaves you in a profound state of silence. After descending, the overwhelming sensation is that nothing truly matters anymore. It’s as if you are enveloped in an absence, a form of non-existence. The grandeur and perfection seen on the mountain make it difficult to articulate subsequent thoughts, as any attempt to express them feels inadequate and almost like a betrayal of the monumental journey you’ve just undergone.
However, this silence does not last forever. Eventually, the world and its demands come rushing back in, and you come to terms with the need for compromise and closure. Recognizing that not every thought or experience can be perfectly expressed allows you to carry on with life. Accepting the imperfection of words and thoughts is essential for moving forward, even after witnessing such extraordinary beauty.
