About a year ago, I ??wrote? a short story while driving through the mountains. I didn??t really think much about it, as I often have stories running through my head, but virtually never put them down. Encouraged by my dying brother to write it down, I did. Since his passing, I have found that some things mean more to me, and many things mean less to me. I now enjoy writing purely for pleasure.
Why I started this story, and why I placed it at the base of Kilimanjaro ?? I will never know. But now, it literally has changed my life. In January, I was doing some research on the tribes and areas around Kilimanjaro, and speaking with someone who had just returned from Tanzania. About an hour into the conversation, he said ?? ??Really, just go there. Go and see it for yourself.?
A few hours later, I mentioned that to a friend, and she was immediately on board. Well, now there is a group of us going to Tanzania in February, for a 12 day Trek to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The commitment has been terrifying, requiring a total change in my life: very strict diet, strenuous training, and the giving up of several vices.
A friend asked recently, ??Why can??t you just have a mid life crisis like the rest of us and buy a sports car??
Guess there is a part of me that just isn??t like the ??rest of us.?
KathleenCO's Genres: Short fiction, creative non fiction, literary fiction
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