Monday, March 05, 2007

180 degrees

If everything in life comes around in a circle, then I am exactly at 180 degrees, the point where things start to turn around, and you continue on to the point where your journey began. It is a point of complete equilibrium, with exactly one half of the circle fully traversed, and the other half still left for what could be called my home run.

Imagine yourself to be in the middle of the mountains. Nothing but you, your path, and your destination. You strike out early in the day, confident that your trek will pleasant and your objective will be achieved by the afternoon. As you stop for a little break, you notice that the site you were camped at last night is still visible. Surely, you should have been over the ridge by now! You carry on. As the day progresses, your backpack gets heavier, your steps become slower, and the road seems longer than expected. You soldier on. As the sun passes overhead, and begins to slide slowly down to the west, You realise to your dismay that you are nowhere close to your destination. The pace hastens, and the risk increases. You stumble and fall, and begin to wonder if all of this was a good idea in the first place. Then, as soon as doubt has strangulated reason, you catch a glimpse of your target. You forget the pain and the fatigue, and quicken your pace, as the inviting valley opens up to your advancing footsteps. Soon, your steady trot has become a gallop, and your heart is filled with the utmost joy. Your body is tired and broken, but your soul has found salvation.

This is a feeling that only trekkers know and appreciate.

At this point, the day of my return is not clear. But, after all these months of living like a (Immigrant? non-Citizen? the unfamiliar 'other'?) I will be back!
My daydreams have taken on a new realism, and my thoughts are now more focused than ever on getting back to my life, my education and my career.

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