Ride or Die

Ride or Die
Mountains & Magic Carpets
An essay on life cycles

Growth, a shape-shifting and ferocious, albeit benevolent, sovereign of life on earth relentlessly chases us from one peaceful peak to the next.

Let’s begin by listening in on a conversation of enthusiastic hikers:

“Hey, Johnny! Look! How enchanting! A mountain! #iloveadventure. Let’s climb it.”
<<time passes>>
“Golly, Dinah. This is a lot harder than it looked. But fun! I feel good. We have  snacks. Time.  It’ll def be worth it.”
<<time passes>>
“Good god, Johnny. Why the F did we do this!? Can we turn back? You’re right. Too far. Fine. Onward.”
<<time passes>>
“HOLY F. I can’t feel my toes. You ate all of my crackers. There’s no more water. It’s not worth it. I thought I could hang. I suck. I hate you. Everything. I’ll die here.”
<<a tiny, teeny bit of time passes>>
“Dinah! WOW! We made it! Everlasting peace is ours! I feel strong! And special! Let’s rejoice! And travel blog about it!”
<<time passes>>
“Oh look, Johnny! How exciting! A mountain! Let’s climb it.”


This is the script of growth if we got to choose all of our own adventures.


But we don’t.

Like in the magic carpet level in Aladdin on Super Nintendo, time keeps rolling and hunks of rock speed toward you whether you’re ready to hike or nah.
And thank goodness for that since we humans have a propensity to hide from Challenge, the ugly mask that life-giving Growth wears.

The value and beauty of climbing is obvious with every step,
except those f#rs nearing the summit.
The only things that feel valuable then are a hot shower and fresh cookies.
You’re depleted and depreciated, and utterly humbled by your earlier idea that you, small but mighty human, had a shot at the top.

It seems like this is life.
And there is nothing that can be done but to surrender to its cycles,
ride your magic carpet with fortitude, focus, and good humor,
and repost as much #inspo as you need to remember that it’s just game for your enjoyment and development.
You won’t really die.

And,
heck,
if you put your mind to it, you might get really good at it and learn some cool tricks.
Maybe even collect extra lives and bedazzled trinkets.


Plus,
when next to the alternative of parking on a peak and indefinitely chillin’,
it’s sort of fun and exciting, right?


Ain’t no stop,
Not any top.


#rideordie