Chapter 45

The next day he woke up with a slight headache and realized he still had a long walk ahead of him. It was roughly a 4 mile trip straight up the mountain, and he knew it would test him physically and emotionally. Still, his awakening from the previous evening lingered with him, and he looked forward to seeing something beautiful today.

He walked with a new sense of vigor, energized from his experience the night before, and more physically fit in general from regular exercise and hiking.

As he rounded the first significant bend, he saw rolling green hills as far as the eyes could see. It was a stunning site comparable in scope to Ireland or Scotland, and he once again found himself welling up with tears. His emotions were still raw and close to the surface, and he was enjoying every moment of the walk, despite the physical hardship.

The last mile of the hike consisted of a billy-goat like climb up iron rungs, until a person couldn’t walk any further. He laughed and thought about an old Huey Lewis song as he climbed called “Jacob’s Ladder.” He wasn’t climbing to heaven exactly, but he was climbing to someplace pretty great.

When he finally reached the top he found a secluded spot and looked out at the sea and the hills and the countryside. The blend of all of these striking natural features was quintessential New Zealand, and he thought about how lucky he was to be here. On this day he had been in New Zealand exactly one year, and for the first time fully realized he had made a wonderful decision. Sprawled out before him was life. His life. Beautiful, adventurous, sometimes tragic, and sometimes magical. But uniquely his. 

He was grateful for the time he had been given.