There were many first’s for me this summer. The first time I snorkeled, the first time I attempted scuba diving, the first time I saw a firefly, tried surfing, went stargazing by the beach, and got a temporary tattoo. Oh yeah, and first time climbing in through the dorm window because I forgot my key.
First’s in life are always so exciting. I never want to stop learning and trying new things; I think that’s the spice in life. :)
Running by the bay,
Past the setting sun.
End of another day.
Running past the mountains,
Past the watchful trees.
Feeling the evening breeze.
What am I running towards?
What am I running away from?
Or is it merely my happy place in which
I seek out solitude and peace?
1, 2, 3, breathe in,
One foot in front of the other,
Breathe out, and keep on
Running,
Running,
Running…
CF recently told me an interesting analogy that he came up with; he described life as a puzzle, where experiences in life are the puzzle pieces. He said that nobody knows what the final picture will look like, but he hopes that his will be beautiful.
Speaking of puzzles, I recently came across a store in Taiwan called ‘Pintoo’. They make plastic puzzles where the pieces click together, which means they stay together as one piece during the building process. I think it’s a really creative concept and something so simple, yet overlooked! I haven’t done a puzzle in ages… Maybe it’s time to find joy in puzzle-building through these cool pintoo’s!!
Happiness today was having water to drink during a 6-hour round trip hike at Lilong Mountain (里龍山).
Sometimes we forget how precious some things, like water, are because we often take it for granted.
Someone told me once during a less-challenging hike at Sky Ladder (天梯) in Taichung, Taiwan. He said: “During the hike, don’t say that you’re tired, and do not rush. Appreciate the beauty of nature around you, and think about the people who created the path for your hike. Appreciate your healthy body, and do not see the end of the hike as the goal; enjoy the entire process.” Wise words from a kind man.
I realized that I can hike a lot faster going up, but it’s more physically exhausting. In contrast, going down scares me because I’m afraid I’ll fall, but I can hike a lot longer in between rests.
The view at the top of Lilong Mountain was totally worth the long hike. The hike has a total length of 3.75km, and the elevation of the peak is 1069m above sea level. We saw the Pacific Ocean on one side, and the Taiwan Strait on the other. Pictures say 1000 words:
How I got through the hike: Endurance, perseverance, and lots of water.
Simple Affairs 