The remnants of an easily categorized headache slowly dissipate as I sit down at my wicker table to write. Perspiration still evaporates and my stomach settles after a short trek and a quick Chinese breakfast. I made a good choice this morning as I veered right toward the mountain instead of left towards breakfast.
I followed an indiscriminate path this morning as I searched to relax. Unuseful sleep and anxiety compounded my morning stress. The indiscriminate path became discriminate as it gained grade and developed steps carved into solid rock. Tall grasses and vines invaded the path and tickled my chin. Mysterious noises kept my senses aware as morning mist gave way to sun and grassy, rocky views gave way to turning vistas, mountains, and rivers.
Although the walk was short, this was the first time I really noticed my subsecond surroundings. I've been trying and now I finally succeeded. Now we'll see if any resonance remains. At one point I stopped on the path and noticed tree leaves closed waiting for the photosynthesizing sun to unlock them. I watched a thousand birds flock in and aimless swarm darting between canyon walls. I stood under trees buzzing with black flies living their entire lives. For a moment I even watched some ants as they built their fortresses surrounding their queens, slaves looking forward to death as their only incentive (no laughing now). This made me really think about what I've seen during this trip in Southeast Asia. It made me think of the people and how they compare to what I'm familiar with. Millions and millions of people, a massive majority of the world's population, wake up, work hard, feed themselves and their children, then go to sleep. It's the same today, it will unlikely change tomorrow, and it has been as it is for virtually ever. Diversions such as travel, vacations, baseball, and diamonds seem trivial. Note: "Diamonds" is an obscure inside reference to the National Geographic article we've been passing around...
As I headed toward the summit on this short but fulfilling hike I noticed beautiful music and song across the distance accompanying the secadas, buzzing flies, and chiming birds. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. The voice was a male voice with occasional female compliments. The songs floated up the valley, my own acoustically perfect opera house. The voices as strong in the middle of the mountains as at the top. Songs in Chinese about daily life. Music mixing with the natural surroundings and creating a symphony. I looked for the source of these wonderful noises. I noticed a man in the distance carrying baskets in from an unnoteworthy field. Was that the source? For a minute I thought it might be a recording. The song followed me to the top where I found a small temple dedicated to monkeys or some associated deity. I sat under the ornate roof in meditation and attempted to rid the world of my headache. I awoke and descended to breakfast.
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