Hiking
This post was originally written in Chinese and published on Qzone.
A seventy-mile hike begins with the first step. So we set off, and soon our feet were tired. We arrived at a rest stop, but before we could even sit down, we were off again, our feet aching. After lunch and a song, our throats were parched. We dragged our feet, thorns pricked us, and the skin on the balls of our feet seemed to have vanished, the flesh underneath directly feeling the ground. Little by little, we approached Jade Rock, finally reaching the finish line.
What can a seventy-mile hike bring us? Perhaps at some point in the future, we can boast, slightly exaggerating, “Back then, seventy miles, that’s 35,000 meters, I walked it with ease.” Who knew the other person was from a poor mountain area? He said, “I walk eighty li every two weeks.” At that moment, we’d be ashamed. But at least it proves one thing: we can hike seventy miles. Although we subconsciously believed this before the hike, because our predecessors had gloriously completed this activity, saying it after the hike is different. When we loudly proclaim after the hike that we can hike seventy miles, certain painful and memorable scenes from the hike will flash in our minds.
At the same time, the seventy-mile hike gave us a very precious experience. Although this experience might seem insignificant to others, we are genuinely proud of ourselves, happy that the “us” after the hike is stronger than the “us” before the hike. The actress Yang Mi said, “Others can give you money, but they can’t give you the experience of struggle.” I think this hike has enriched our experience of struggle. During the hike, my partner and I both had numb feet, and we fell behind. We discussed whether to catch up, and later we caught up with more energy than we would use to chase a girlfriend, because we all felt that, whether we caught up or not, at least we tried. This sentence can also encourage countless people with unrequited love.
However, we must not overestimate the changes the hike brings. Looking at the history of the past few years, the academic results before and after the second year hike, I think there shouldn’t be much difference. For example, a month before the hike, there was a Guangzhou City Joint Exam, and another one the second month after the hike. Our school’s ranking in both should be about the same. For individuals, comparing the changes the hike brings is much simpler: just compare the rankings in the grade exams before and after the hike. In fact, there’s no need to compare. Ask yourself what the hike can bring you, and see if you usually work hard. Then you’ll know if you’ll improve. As for me, maybe a month later, I’ll only remember that I went on a hike, a vague memory. So, I still want to write down my observations, discoveries, feelings, and thoughts.
First of all, the hike of life is much harder than a seventy-mile hike. Our hike had a good route, and following the students in front was foolproof. But on the road of life, we need to patiently look for the path that belongs to us, or patiently open up a brand new path of life. For this hike, the road conditions were carefully selected by others. But on the road of life, we need to invest time and energy to investigate and research carefully. For this seventy-mile hike, we had companions along the way. Seeing that you in front hadn’t fallen was the best encouragement for “I can’t fall.” Of course, maybe most students never even had the thought of falling. But in the journey of life, we are more likely to not see whether others are standing or lying down, and we can only struggle and work hard alone on the highway of life. For this 35,000 meters, we had herbal tea and true heroes accompanying us. But on the long march of life, who can sing “No one can succeed casually” for us? We can only rely on ourselves, on our own minds. This hike has an end, a painful end. But on the road of life, it is more likely to be “life never stops, and the struggle never ends.” Of course, life has an end, but that end might be a tombstone with four words on it: “Cause of death unknown.”
Secondly, although life has its helplessness, it can also be a joyful journey. During the hike, we can use the method of cherishing the moment to make it happy. Because the end is unknown, we can only enjoy the present. Appreciate the surrounding scenery, and try to find something beautiful in the most ordinary places. Chat with your partners, and squeeze out some topics from our familiar lives. Even better, you can talk about what was covered in the compulsory three biology midterm exam. If you forgot, I’ll laugh at you for not paying attention in class, and then I’ll add to it. When you are very tired and in pain, you can set a goal of only one hundred meters ahead, and tell yourself, “I’ll be victorious when I get there.” When you get there, set the next hundred meters as your goal. In fact, the absurdity of the above paragraph reflects something about life: love life, observe life, walk with friends, and strive for realistic and achievable goals.
Finally, I hope to use this hike as a starting point, and change the four words on the tombstone waiting for us to “Great Achievements.”