Where should I go?

Where should I go?

A short hike to Tao Fong Shan without a map

Waving my wife and my son goodbye as they walk into the kindergarten for a preparation class, I take a deep breath out. I am alone now. The relief doesn’t last long, after a few breaths I am forced to face the void, “What should I do next?”

I go up to the church next to the kindergarten, and greet the parish father. He is setting up the altar. As he is buzzing in and out of the west end, organizing the next event with someone else. I don’t want to be an extra. Before any thinking, Tao Fong Shan becomes a concrete but arbitrary goal to pass the time. And I get up, bow to the tabernacle, and begin my journey.

I journey forward, praying my rosary. The sun is getting hotter and brighter. I reach into a roundabout, and in front of me there are two paths. To the right it is a way up the hill. It is steep and narrow. To the left there is another road, wider and easier, going down the hill. Considering myself a seasoned adventurer, I decided to go right. I keep going up and there is a tin house and 2 large, mixed breed dogs behind the fence. They growl and bark. I ignore them. After a turn, I reach a dead end. I have to go back with the dogs barking behind me.

I go down the hill on the same path, now other than the growling and howling of the dog, I am hearing something else on the other side of the road. They are making the sound “hoo” towards me. They are numerous. I turn my gaze away from the road and look into the bushes. There are only the normal bushes. It gives me more goosebumps even in broad daylight.

I keep praying. Soon the surrounding howling from both sides reside. As I return to the roundabout, only this time I see a few signs in A4 size “To Tao Fong Shan” on the left.

“Had I opened my eyes…” I ruminate.

But the journey must go on. I then take the turn and soon come to another hidden entrance to a path up to the hill. I turn into it. And again there are two ways. One on the right is steep with more leaves on the ground. Another on the left is flat and clear. I turn right.

After a couple minutes, the leaves patch on the ground is getting thicker. My face has just been through some cobwebs. The bushes above are blocking more sunlight. My goosebumps come back. I turn back without hesitation.

This time in the junction, I saw an old lady there. I smile and ask, “Which way should I take to go to Tao Fong Shan?” She points to the cleaner path and says, “Go straight in this way, you cannot miss it.”

I say, “Maybe next time. I am running out of time.”

She says, “You should go. It is not a long journey.”

I decided to listen and go. The path is clear and comfortable. There is no howling and gibbering along the way. Sunlight comfortably slips through the trees. And there are random companions as I journey ahead.

I reach the church on Tao Fong Shan and get back to the kindergarten right before the preparation class. As the gate of the kindergarten opens and my wife and my son signal me to rejoin them, I wonder what this journey means.

originally posted in Nous