"It's Almost There"

There is something that I aspire to do despite many New Year’s resolutions, but failed. That is to set time for exercise and keep fit. I want to age gracefully thus I need a healthier life style. I took up dancing and went for swimming… but somehow I didn’t keep the dancing lessons going but went swimming once in a while. That’s not enough.

In August last year, I took up new exercises - jungle trekking and mountain climbing. I was lucky to have a buddy who kindly offered to accompany me on this new quest. My buddy suggested going to Kpg Taba Sait, about forty-five minutes drive away from the city. I took three hours for the to and fro journey compared to two hours for the villagers.

So the trek began. With much difficulty and a series of out of breath moments; I finally came to an interesting site where I needed to cross two bamboo suspension bridges at a one person walking width. One of the bridge measured approximately about 100 over feet long and the other about 50 over feet long and hanging about 40 to 50 feet above the streams. It’s scary to walk across the shaky bamboo bridges. It’s really an experience. My courage was tested.

Honestly, I wanted to give up the journey many times…I was so exhausted lacking stamina and I just fell flat on the ground to take a rest. However, my buddy encouraged me saying “It’s almost there”. I have forgotten how many times I asked whether we are reaching our destination. Repeatedly, the encouraging words “It’s almost there” was uttered. It was the echo of “It’s almost there” that spurred me on and I finally reached the village welcomed by the serenity of nature and the friendly faces of the village folk and happy children. It’s good to get away from the city and enter the tranquility of the village life.

At the end of my jungle trek my Nike shoe sole was ripped open, my body was tired and my muscles ached. In exchange I felt rich in the spirit, refreshed from breathing the fresh air in the jungle and getting the positive ion from the jungle and feeling good all because I did not give up and make it. I felt victorious and satisfied with the end result.

Many times in our life journey, the feelings are like such. There are so many things that we want to do but felt like giving up or have given up. Please hold on to your dreams, realize it. It’s likened to my first jungle trek that I wanted to give up. My buddy encouraged me and said, “It’s almost there”. That gave me the strength to carry on. There were voices of encouragement that push us on. Listen to those. Hear those voices and persevere, my friends. Never give up, “it’s almost there”. Yes, I will continue to trek and climb mountains to find solace in within.