A Journey into the Future

Prelude

I am over the moon.  I'm starting my journey into the Valley today.  For weeks I've been running backwards and forwards along the cliff path asking everyone I meet to tell me all they know about the Valley.  Most people are reluctant to discuss it but I have heard some snippets of  stories of great adventure, great hardship and great fun.  I cannot wait. 

My companion and I have been groomed by the elders every day for the last couple of weeks.  We know that we have to help each other, that we cannot do it alone, that it is hard, that it can be fun.  Whatever!  It's an adventure and we're ready.

The beginning

Here we are at the rapids.  We've heard all about them, and we're prepared.  It's a little hard at first learning quite how much help each must give the other, what each of us can and cannot do, who is best at finding the next step and who is best at keeping the balance.  We soon get into the swing of a two man team.  This is easy. 

We often meet others and ask them what they know about the lay of the land ahead.  How much further, how easy is the rest of the way through the rapids.  At night when we rest we discuss what we'll do when we get to the end of the rapids. We hear about the brambles, the garden, the waterfall, the desert and we plan our future.  Our plans change regularly as we hear more and more about each of the paths we could follow.  We're nearly at the end of the rapids and we can't wait.

The middle

We've reached the end of the rapids.  We're surprised at how quickly our journey proceeded.  Well we were in a hurry, and hurry we did, so here we are now.  Now for the decision, what is it to be?   I don't really care which way we go so long as we get moving.  This is so exciting, planning the next move. 

We're going to try the brambles.  From all accounts it's quite hard and we're up for the challenge.  Our roles are changing now, as we have new challenges.  First one, then the other, like a dance, we assume our roles.  One clears the other steps through, clears, the other steps through.  This isn't so hard.

We spend our time discussing what's up ahead.  We're constantly planning the next move.  Once we're out of the brambles where shall we go?  Meantime we stop everyone we meet to ask them if they know what's up ahead, how much further through the brambles, what do they know about the other paths, which is the best path to follow?

Suddenly we're out of the brambles.  Wow that went quickly!   Now we have a choice.  We can either, go back down into the river and try the waterfall, or we can try the slopes.  A group of us are discussing the pros and cons.   We don't have that much information to go by.  Everyone seems to have a different opinion and we can't decide which will be best.  Every time a new group passes we ask for their advice.   I'm keen to find the right path and get moving.

Well we're off back down to the river, and we're going to try the waterfall.  The slope is quite steep and we have to learn new ways of helping each other.  The time speeds by as we discuss the waterfall and what we can expect.  We're very excited.

We're here.  I look up at the slope we've come down and wonder how we managed it so quickly.  There's a group here and we all discuss the best ways of tackling the challenge ahead.  Of course it's the same story, each one has their opinion, and their idea of which is the best way.   I just want to get on with it.  Enough talk, let's go.

Here we go, we're wading as far as we can before the current gets too strong.  We're clinging to each other's hands, knowing that at any moment one of us might lose our foothold.   The river suddenly lifts us and we tumble, screaming, then holding our breath as we get thrown over the edge of the waterfall into the stillness below.  Wow, what a fantastic experience. 

That was so exciting and we're keen to get to the banks so we can get a view of the waterfall and see how far we've come.  Neither of us is hurt, we're just exhilarated. We find a quiet spot down river a little and take a moment to share our feelings and what we experienced.  Soon others join us and we vie with each other as we expand on our stories of our tumble over the waterfall.

Before I know it, we're discussing where to from here?  We can tackle the dunes, or we can keep to the river and travel as far as we can downstream.  As usual everyone has a different opinion as to which is the best route.   The discussion goes on and on and I tire of it all.  Come on, let's just decide and get moving.

We've decided to carry on down the riverbed for a while, until we feel up to tackling the dunes.  So long as we're moving I'm happy.  My companion and I leave the group to their discussions and take off down river.  Once again we have to find ways to help each other as the path is always only wide enough for one of us at a time.

We move along quickly discussing whether to tackle the dunes or to carry on.  Whilst we're deciding we just keep moving on further and further down river.  There are fewer and fewer groups, so we don't have much chance to ask for any advice from anyone else.  We must eventually make up our minds!  

The dunes it is!  This presents a new challenge as we find ways of anchoring each other and helping each other inch ever upwards.  It is incredibly steep, and very difficult, but we keep each other buoyed up with talk of what we might expect on the other side.  Slowly, slowly we get into the swing of the climb.  I'm can't wait to get up to the top to see what's in store for us.

Well here we are finally at the top, and we can see the gardens down below.  In the distance we can make out other groups.  We rush down the other side, eager to meet up with others to find out how they got there and where they're going next.  We slip, slide and tumble down the other side.  Dusting myself off I look back at the dune awed at the sheer size of it.  I cannot believe how quickly we managed to get over it.  We're very pleased with our progress.

We've joined a group who are thinking of staying in the garden for a while.  How boring. I want to move on.  This is a journey.  My companion and I keep asking advice on which is the best way out of the garden, but no one seems to want to leave.  We're getting very frustrated and spend many hours trying to recall what we know about what is past the garden.

We say goodbye to our friends and move on.  The garden is easier to traverse, so we don't have to concentrate as hard and have plenty of time thinking and talking about what might lie ahead.  Maybe we'll come to the desert, or maybe the slopes, we don't know.  It depends on how far down the Valley we are.  We plan, discuss, talk and think about where we're going.  Occasionally we laugh about our journey so far, and congratulate each other on how well we've managed.

Ahead we can see changes in the terrain.  We speed up our journey so that we can get there as quickly as possible.  What's ahead?  Is it the desert?  We think so because we cannot see any slopes.  The vegetation starts to thin out and soon we're at the edge of the garden and yes, it is the desert.

We stop for a short while as we contemplate whether to just keep going or to try to find a more defined route.  There is a group at the edge of the desert and we ask for advice.  It's the same old story, for every person there, there is a different correct path.  No one in the group has been across the desert yet and no one is sure of what is at the other side.

We know this is a tough one and we're keen to get moving.  We know that we work well together and that we will help each other every step of the way.  We whisper together at night, planning our next move.  We decide to rest up for as short a time as possible before tackling the next stage.  Every day we try to imagine what's out there.

We're on our way.  No one else is ready to join us yet, so we're on our own.  The going is quite tough, the biggest challenge is learning to ration our food supplies.  The further in we go the less we have to eat but strangely the less we need to eat.

The end

Strangely, the further we travel into the desert, the less help we need to give to each other.  We also need less to eat.  We don't seem to be in such a hurry any more. 

I've stopped wondering what's at the end of the desert and spend much more time just enjoying the changes in the sky, the changes in the sand, the colours, the smells, the temperature. My companion and I share these changes and our conversation is now about what's right here in front of us instead of about what's over the hill or in the future.

Our bodies are changing and we're becoming lighter.  We're thrilled at this new feeling and savour every change as it happens.  We love the feel of the rain on our skin, the heat of the sun, the feel of the sand below our feet.   The desert seems never ending and we're in no hurry to get to the end.  We're loving every experience and the joy of every moment.

All too soon we realise that we've been rising up, up, ever upwards to the edge of the cliff, and before we were ready, the journey was at an end.  How sad.

Finale

As I wander along the cliff face I contemplate my journey.  I struggle to remember anything much about the rapids, the brambles, the waterfall, the dunes, the garden.  It all seems such a blur.

Why did we rush through the journey?  Why was I in such a hurry?  Why didn't I stop and savour every moment?   Why was I constantly looking forward to the future? 

I have such vivid memories of the desert and how beautiful it was every moment.  I wish I had spent more time on the rest of the journey experiencing the moment.  I wish I had spent less time listening to others advice and more time listening to what was happening around me.

Now when I'm asked about my journey, I smile and say, just remember to journey in the now not into the future.  The young ones shake their heads and I know that they don't understand.

I vow that my next journey will be experienced in the now.