A new day appears. Birds whistle and sing their melodies, the wind is northeast, and its breeze refreshes the sun that rises fiercely hot this time of the year. Currently, it is December and for me, this month represents one of the most beautiful months as it is the beginning of school vacation. It is a well-deserved break after a long year dedicated to studies in a college course of Mathematics; The moment you can forget all the integrals, derivatives and polar coordinates. Now I need to worry about all the challenges that life will throw at me. My dreams depend on it. My back hurts as a result of a bad night of sleep lying on the beaten earth that I prepared as a bed. The hut that I built with incredible effort and the fire that I lit gave me a certain amount of security at night. However, I did hear howling and footsteps outside it. Where have my dreams led me? The answer is to the end of the world, where civilization has not yet arrived. What would you do, reader? Would you also risk a trip to make your deepest dreams come true? Let's continue the narrative.
Wrapped in my thoughts and questions, little did I realize that, at my side, was the strange lady who promised to help me on my way.
"Did you sleep well?
"If well means that I am still whole, yes.
"Before anything, I must warn you that the ground you tread is sacred. Therefore, don't be misled by appearance or by impulsiveness. Today is your first challenge. I will not bring you any more food or water. You will find them by your account. Follow your heart in all situations. You must prove that you are worthy.
"There is food and water in this underbrush, and I should gather it? Look, Madam, I am accustomed to shopping in a supermarket. See this cabin? It has cost me sweat and tears and still, I am not convinced that it is secure. Why don't you grant me the gift that I need? I think I have proved myself to be worthy the moment I climbed that steep mountain.
"Hunt for food and water. The mountain is only a step in the process of your spiritual improvement. You're still not ready. I must remind you that I do not impart gifts. I have no power to do so. Furthermore, I am only the arrow that indicates the path. The cave is the one who grants your wishes. It is called the cave of despair, sought by those whose dreams have since become impossible.
"I'm going to try. I have nothing else to lose. The cave is my last hope of success.
Having said this, I get up and begin the first challenge. The woman disappeared like smoke.
The First Challenge
At first glance, I see that in front of me is a beaten path. I begin to walk down it. In lieu of the underbrush full of thorns, the best would be to follow the trail. The stones that my steps sweep away seem to be telling me something. Can it be that I am on the right path? I think about everything that I left behind searching for my dream: Home, food, clean clothing and my math books. Is this really worth it? I think I will find out. (Time will tell). The strange woman seems not to have told me everything. The more that I walked, the less I found. The top did not seem to be as extensive now that I had arrived. A light…I see a light ahead. I need to go there. Furthermore, I arrive at a spacious clearing where the sun's rays reflect clearly the appearance of the mountain. The trail comes to an end and is reborn into two distinct paths. What do I do? I've been walking for hours and my strength seems to have been exhausted. I sit down a moment to rest. Two paths and two choices. How many times in life are we faced with situations such as this; The entrepreneur who has to choose between the survival of the company or the termination of some employees; The poor mother of the hinterlands in the Northeastern part of Brazil, who has to choose which one of her children to feed; The unfaithful husband who must choose between his wife and his mistress; Anyway, there are many situations in life. My advantage is that my choice will only affect me. I need to follow my intuition, as the woman recommended.
I get up, and I choose the path on the right. Furthermore, I make great strides on this path, and it doesn't take me long to glimpse yet another clearing. This time, I encounter a pool of water and some animals around it. They cool themselves in the clear and transparent water. How should I proceed? I've finally found water, but it is full of animals. I consult my heart, and it tells me that everyone has the right to water. Furthermore, I couldn't just shoot them and deprive them of it as well. Nature gives an abundance of resources for the survival of its people. I am but one of the strands on the web that it weaves. I am not superior to the point that I consider myself the master of it. With my hands, I reach into the water and pour it in a small pot that I brought from home. The first part of the challenge is met. Now I must find food.
I keep walking, on the trail, hoping to find something to eat. My stomach growls as it's already past noon. I start to look to the sides of the trail. Perhaps the food is inside the forest. How often do we seek the easiest path, but it is not the one that leads to success? (Not every climber that follows a trail is the first to reach the top of the mountain). Shortcuts quickly lead you to your target. With this thought, I leave the trail and shortly after find a banana and a coconut tree. It is from them that I will get my food. I have to climb them with the same strength and faith of which I climbed the mountain. I try one, two, three times. Furthermore, I succeed. I will go back to the hut now because I have completed the first challenge.