THE MEANING WE GIVE
I arrived in the Annapurnas with a quiet hope, to trade life's distractions for a sense of peace. Instead, the trail first met me with dust, doubt and a haunting lack of connection. But mountains have their own way of driving the noise away. Through lakes, passes and miles shared with new friends, I was reminded of a simple truth: life is only as bright as the meaning we choose to give it.
I heard a call, a chance through the thin air,
To catch my breath, lessen the weight I bear.
A sweet escape from all the noise I knew,
To find the things that still remain as true.
It started bright, with smiles and fields so rife,
On lightened feet, I walked a path of life.
But walls grew high until the light turned cold,
And shadows stole the green and morning gold.
The dusty road soon blurred the hope I sought,
A lonely trek where no one shared a thought.
I wondered if the peace I came to find
Was just a ghost I conjured in my mind.
I traced the map, searched every open door,
To find a path the wheels could not explore.
Step after step, a new perspective drawn,
Till one light raw unveiled a brighter dawn.
Then higher up, a clear song filled the space,
As noise faded, new voices rose in place.
The words gave out and left us with the view,
A simple world of endless white and blue.
High on the pass, the wind had truths to give,
Life is empty, until we choose to live.
Was that the call I heard right from the start,
Am I ready to leave with open heart?
We traded white for colors warm in hue,
On hidden paths that only few pursue.
My doubts led true, I like what they became,
Those days away changed the name of the game.
But nineteen days must come to sudden end,
As mountain trails and city streets contend.
Too loud, too fast, too crowded for the soul,
I hope my chest will keep the vision whole.
