We went to bed last night in our long sleeves and socks, our noses frosty outside our sleeping bags. Madagascar – island of tropical flora, fauna, and beaches – has its mountains too. We’re in Andringitra National Park hiking the not too difficult trail up to summit Madagascar’s “highest most accessible” peak.
Heads emerging from tents this morning brought “wows,” and what I saw when I finally started my day was just that. Wow. Of course, right? You hike into your campground during the rainy dusk and the clouds sneak out during the night gifting you with high declarations of rock, reflected perfectly in the little roaming river down the bank from the tents by morning. It’s only natural.
Last night my friend said something that I nod to right now, looking at this morning in the perfect water. Slobbery tooth brushing didn’t stop her from cackling her giggle and adding, “Life is so good!” Ah, I nod to that every minute, every day. She was right just then: our fingers nippy, sixteen friends brushing teeth by dark tents and tomorrow wide-awake to a yesterday full of happenings (some of which included slowly crashing into a vineyard’s brick wall in our TaTa bus and breaking down for scattered hours all the way to the trailhead). But she was right for all times too.
Being still this morning in front of Andringitra’s mountains caught me thinking about the dynamics of the group of kids I’m traveling with. Sixteen of us, from around the country, together for three and a half months. There has been no drama, no fighting, no bickering, no overwhelming leadership or any feeling of unconfidence in following each other. It is completely even. Each of us gets along so well. It seems almost unreal. I smiled this morning though thinking about how exactly natural it is that this group is harmonious. Of course we all get along! It’s only natural.
Later we hiked over to a peak slowly covered in cloud. We moved back into red-green grass on the way down. Rain clouds were far off and beautiful. Huge uneven splashes started coming down by the time we got back to our tents. Jumping into the cold, cold river was perfect. Pulling my head to the surface after the first leap in made me giddy - this is perfect. Bubbles are being made by raindrops; my eyes at their level. My friends are jumping in one after another, our bodies pale in the dark water against the dark sky, against the looming mountains. It’s raining now. It’s cold. This is perfect. Life is so good.
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So glad to get this entry. Goodness of life wonderful to celebrate when manifest, but also when not so obvious (as in Tata crash, etc.). It’s great to be in harmony — nicely different from in unison.
Climb on, in all ways.
(How high is your mountain? Literally, too, please; and does it have a name?)
life is good. sometimes you don’t realize it but if your at a boarding school in missouri or on an island off of Africa, no matter where you are, God is bringing so much joy and expression to life and you just need to soak it in. julie, i love you a lot. your trip seems wonderfully beautiful.
love from your lil lil sis
Well Jules, Thank you for spreading the harmony, beauty and life that you are experiencing, it helps everyone realize that we too are constantly experiencing it as well!
sounds absolutely wonderful. don’t stop jumping into rainy rivers!