Some time ago, I fell in love with the concept of mountains as the great symbols of achieving our goals and pursuing our dreams. I view life as a journey, one filled with peaks and valleys. As we traverse this path, we all stumble and fall at times, encountering our valleys, learning from them, and continuing towards new peaks or valleys. The purpose of life is to keep moving; we cannot halt its relentless march, for time acts as an unyielding treadmill, propelling us forward. Regardless of how much we yearn to linger in a moment, time tells us there is no turning back, and it carries us along its unending course.
This time treadmill is relentless, always progressing. Should you decide to linger despite it, what will happen? You'll fall into the illusion that you can hold onto a moment, but it will remain just that—an illusion. The treadmill has moved on. Every moment, whether you read or not, blink your eyes or not, it continues unabated.
This treadmill may appear merciless and crude, but when you find yourself in the valleys, enduring tough times and moments of despair, this unstoppable conveyor is your staunch ally, ready to lift you out, whether you desire it or not. Thus, in those moments when you're trapped in the valley, it becomes your nurturing mother, yearning to guide you out into the sunlit meadows once more. And life marches on, through peaks and valleys, flower-strewn fields, leading to your own mountain—whatever that mountain means to you.
This concept inspired me to pen my second book, "The Sacred Mountains," delving into the idea of a mountain as a young girl's dream to chase and a new home to discover. We are all on a journey. Some see their mountain clearly, while others only catch a distant glimpse of it. Some are confident that another world exists beyond the one they were born into, while others never question it.
However, deep within a distant village, a girl decided to embark on a journey, determined to unearth her true origins. This is a tale of finding the world where we truly belong and pursuing a distant dream. As she navigates her journey, she unearths her identity and locates her real home. Yet, everything in life comes at a cost. She journeys alone. Indeed, such journeys, both in "The Sacred Mountains" and in life, require immense courage to abandon the familiar. Often, it's an exceedingly solitary quest, a journey to an undefined destination, an odyssey that appears endless and shrouded in darkness during storms.
However, days are never the same; the treadmill persists, and after the thunderstorm, we realize that new days dawn. And, though the mountain remains distant, it's still there.
The inexorable treadmill helps us wash away our tears and once again glimpse our mountain in the distance, albeit through the mist. Gradually, our faces dry from tears, and we muster the courage to put on our mountain shoes and continue our journey.
Viewing life as a series of peaks and valleys ensures that we maintain hope—hope for better days, hope that the mountain still looms in the distance, unwashed by any storm. So, today, I encourage you to don your mountain shoes and embark on your journey, whatever that may entail. Perhaps it's simply your life's journey, or, like me and the main character in "The Sacred Mountains," a distant dream that beckons you home, a dream that continues calling until you heed its summons.
As a dreamer, I understand that only by putting on our mountain shoes and taking steps towards our dreams can our souls find respite on this journey. Our souls hunger for us to go and fulfil our dreams.
I hope that you, too, will fall in love with the concept of the mountain, making each valley easier to traverse. I invite you to accompany my heroine character on her journey, where she dared to chase her dreams—perhaps you'll see yourself reflected in her eyes.
With love,
Kinga
Ps. Living my creative life through my art and books was my big mountain, I hope you're on your journey too.
