View from the top

©MCD

It was a beautiful sunny day. A refreshing break from the winter mornings that had preceded it. It was as if nature had awakened in full glory with all its senses. It was a great day for a mountain trek.

They were alone, but that didn’t matter at all apart from a few safety risks.

As the best way to discover new places – and a new part of yourself – is to go on paths you’ve never gone before, they decided to take a turn they’d never seen. They were bound to discover something new; an unforgettable trekking experience.

The path was at times narrow and covered with bushes, at others steep and rocky, uphill and slippery, or straight and smooth. Like life itself, it was not a straight line ahead nor was it easy.

But the best views are indeed found at the top, and despite the difficult trajectory and the tiredness that ensued, they were compensated by the most beautiful panoramic views of a city that had much to offer if only you allowed it to.

We’ll only move forward in every way if we finally take that first step. And just keep going. It will all be worth it. Eventually.

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Getting lost

“Have you ever sent someone in the wrong direction?”

I stared at her, troubled, not knowing what to answer. Or rather, how to answer that politely.

Jenna was amazed at how many people would ask me for directions on a single outing. And that’s in a neighbourhood I don’t even know very well. Heck, I don’t even know my own neighbourhood.

“What do you mean?” I responded perplexed.

“I consider it an achievement if someone asks me something and I actually know where it is to tell them!”

I’m the kind of person who gets lost two blocks down their house.

Yes, it happens.

When you have absolutely no sense of orientation whatsoever, getting lost is the easiest, simplest, and the most rational thing that can happen to you.

I was once told to “just continue straight ahead down the road” to the Metro station, and I got lost somehow, having to ask Google, the GPS, and a passer-by for help, in order to reach the desired destination 15 minutes later.

It happens.

And it is absolutely natural.

We’re not all born with a tracking system or a compass inside our heads.

It’s not easy finding your way around.

It’s actually an accomplishment getting somewhere without a GPS, and if you manage to go alone (helpless) a second time around, it is really something to be proud of. Let alone if you take a different route to get there.

So, you can just imagine the confidence booster it is when someone asks you for directions and you genuinely know the correct answer to help them get there.

Of course, you’ll get a few people lost first before you consolidate the route in your head to be able to pass on the knowledge.

But that’s just something that happens too.

Festive Driving

© Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

It all started with a 10-minute delay of the alarm buzzing. A domino effect soon followed. He was rushing to get dressed, to pack the last things – some of which he obviously forgot – to get into the car and drive off. Of course it had snowed during the coldest night of the year and he also had to shovel the snow off his car simply to find the door.

But when the engine finally started and he was off, the illuminated festive city roads compensated all the hassle.

Driving home for Christmas entails a particular emotion. Of anticipation and excitement.

Also part of Friday Fictioneers

That passing thought

©J Hardy Carroll

Have you ever had that passing thought of “let’s drop everything and leave?”

How quickly has that intention crossed your mind and entered the box of ideas that were never acted upon?

But what if you actually realised this one this time?

What if you did embark on an adventure? Just like that?

What if it really was as simple as your mind fantasizes it could be?

Because the truth is, life is simple. We just think too much and create problems and complexities where there are none.

We make things difficult for ourselves out of fear of the unknown.

Also part of Friday Fictioneers

The dawn of an adventure

©MCD_Antiparos

You know that time when the sun rises; when hardly anyone ever gets up to see it, but often some stay up past dawn to witness it before falling into bed? That majestic hour when life begins again as a new day commences. It signifies a new start and symbolises that there is always another chance for things to get better.

A new day is like embarking on an adventure. You don’t really know where it’ll lead you, but you need to get up and go in order to find out.

The hardest decision to make is always the first step you’ll take. It’s like diving into the sea. If you take it step by step the water always seems colder. But if you simply dive in, it’s actually refreshing.

We ponder too much.

All we need is to find the right people to support us, to hear us out when we simply need to babble on for a while, to say something that will soothe and reassure us, to help us get back on the right track when we lose our faith on the path we’ve taken. But mostly, we need people to walk that road with us. Because it’s in the hardships and the little things that we realise who are worthy of being part of our lives.

Dim footsteps

© Liz Young

“Come, follow me”, she said as soon as he approached.

She was dressed in black and it scared him. He didn’t know her very well, yet something about her intrigued him. He allowed himself to be lured by her; to be led into dark passageways and alleys he never knew existed.

He could only see worn-out heels decisively hitting the ground before him.

She led him into a cave-like entry that opened up into a beautiful back yard. She offered a drink.

How he ended up behind the wheel of a crashed car the next morning, is beyond his memory.

Also part of Friday Fictioneers

Monsoon

© Dale Rogerson

They were warned it was monsoon season. But they went anyway.

They were told it was worse than they thought it would be. But they ignored the cautions.

They believed it would be an ideal getaway regardless. A change from life itself. They saw it as an adventure; a once-in-a-lifetime journey.

They were exhorted to think again; because some things are more ideal in our heads. But they disregarded the heed.

They flew there in excitement, snubbing the alarm that was raised.

They lived it all in a single night.

And stayed together, even in the end of the world.

Also part of Friday Fictioneers

Also part of Your Daily Word Prompt

One bright day

©C.E.Ayr

It was the first day in over a week that they woke up with sunshine streaming through their windows.

“We need to exploit this brightness!” she said all perky, jumping out of bed to draw the curtains so more light can get in.

“I know exactly how!” he replied.

He revealed a bicycle for her with a basket in front, just as she had coquettishly requested when she saw his own bicycle about a month ago.

They cycled to the marina, where he had prepared another surprise: a boat ride along the calm waters of the canal. Just for them.

Also part of Friday Fictioneers

Taking time off

One of the most pleasing sentiments in the world is setting out for an adventure. You don’t care how early or late you travel in this case, because you are certain that your destination will recompense the trouble of getting there.

Embarking on an adventure usually entails taking time off your usual routine. It means shutting out everything that, no matter how much you enjoy doing, has made you weary and exhausted due to its prolonged and repeated nature.

We all need time off. A break. To detox, regroup and rejuvenate. A welcome recess; that time of doing nothing, will help you bring things into perspective. It is only when you change your view on things that you manage to see a clearer picture.

And you realise that you can draw inspiration and motivation from the simplest things in life. Those that in the hustle and bustle of daily chaos you tend to forget exist.

You’ll go where you focus your light on. You just need to remember that you are responsible for shining it. And it order to maintain its brightness, you need to recharge it when it gets dim.

There is a good quote, which says that you won’t let the fuel in your car drop to empty, why do you allow it to happen to you? Letting your energy drain.

August is that perfect period to shut down for a while. To allow your mind and soul to breathe. To regain your strength, rediscover your focus and set new goals. It is the time to dream and make plans on how to achieve them.

Take time off. You’ll be thankful you did when you return relaxed, refreshed, recharged.

Challenging growth

©MCD

“Let’s do something exciting!” Her voice emanated the thrill and her eyes sparkled.

“But you hate heights,” he began.

“Be intrepid! If we don’t do something challenging, how will we face our fears? How will we grow?”

She was already leading him to the hang gliding centre.

It was extreme, but worth it.

Also part of Weekend Writing Prompt #159