A mountaineering team was climbing a snow-covered mountain.
This was an exceptionally treacherous peak; the slightest misstep could send them tumbling down to certain death.
Suddenly, the team leader lost his footing and began to fall.
He wanted to let out a final cry of despair, but he knew that any sound would startle the others, destabilize their climb, and cause more to fall. Clenching his teeth, he forced himself to remain completely silent.
Thus, he fell silently into the deep icy ravine below.
Only one team member witnessed this tragic scene.
He could have screamed in shock, but years of experience taught him that a scream would not save the leader, and would only frighten the other climbers, bringing disaster to the entire team.
So, as if nothing had happened, he continued climbing upward. With each step, tears fell from his eyes and landed on the snow. It was only after reaching the summit that the others realized the leader was missing. Then, he revealed the truth.
No one said a word.
This was the world's finest mountaineering team, because its members could face their own deaths with equanimity, and could also face the death of a comrade with the same calm.
They had not only conquered the summit of nature, but also reached the pinnacle of humanity.