Hope in Thyme

Monday, 06 October 2008

The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing that thyme was a source of courage.

I can now count the days on one hand, the end of this journey is so close, but still far to go. Each day is as hard as they have ever been and as well as this, the distance has added to the continuous pain in my legs. They hurt as we are pushing each day just that little bit harder in order to finish earlier each day just to be able to relax in the beautiful surroundings before night falls. Memories are starting to flow back of the last few days of the run along the Great Wall of China how cautious we were with every step that nothing will go wrong, and the same is happening now

With every journey there is always that goal that you set out to achieve, but to me the most important thing that I have taken from each of my journeys are the life’s lessons that you pick up along the way and how they always seem to enhance my life afterwards. China was such a turning point in my life as it taught me the importance of change in ones life, in many a way this I think is one of the most important factors that I have had to come to terms with, the realisation that every thing and everyone around us are evolving and changing at such a rapid rate, the sooner that you manage to come to terms with this the better.

On the outset of this run my fundamental aim was to help Change the lives of children in need of facial surgery, born with cleft palates and hare lips. The more I look at this the more I believe that change on its own is not enough unless one has hope for the future that we and our children can strive for and that through our actions of internal and external change that we know that there is still a greater goal to aim for which makes this all worth while by ensuring that the future holds something for all of us.

I will never forget the day that I ran across the bridge over the Orange River from Namibia back into South Africa at the start of this run. The pride that I felt carrying my countries flag across that bridge. But there was a feeling of uncertainty in me, a feeling of fear in a way as I did not know what lay ahead of me. What was going to be the result of this mammoth journey and what were the lessons going to be. Deep inside there was this strong feeling of hope for the future that has been kindled by deep rooted positivity and love for all that this country stands for and the massive change that it has undergone.