Life After Peace Corps

Not Because it is Easy

Right by the hill of my apartment lies a small creek. It is the “Four Mile Run Stream” The name is misleading for the entire length of the creek is more than 9 mile. The stream's eastern section forms the boundary of Arlington County and the City of Alexandria. Alexandria is where I live.

I was drawn to this rivulet since I discovered it. Nearly every Sunday, I carried a small backpack and walked along its bank. Last Sunday, the weather was warm like Spring, so I walked extra miles and it was then I came across another nice park along the riverbank.

Past the park entrance, I was surrounded by trees. Winter’s gale had stripped off all their leaves but they stood there tall and regal. The woodland extended far to a hill side and beyond stood more silent forests. A fainted trail appeared as soon as I arrived at a stone bridge. I followed it and finally reached the top of a hill. Nothing special there, but the trail reminded me of the “Almost Perpendicular” in Harriman. No one was around, so I took off my pack and dug behind a bush. (I always believe we should all give something back to nature).

The park is much bigger than the Monticello park, and I found myself really enjoying the walk. By the time I left the park, I had already walked more than six miles. My 30lb backpack started hurting my shoulders; I took a break, drank some water and determined to carry on. I knew, at this very moment, my friends HY, Sandy, and Mr. Chen were doing the 20-mile hike in Harriman park. How much I wanted to be with them. So I pretended that I was hiking with them, pretended that I was competing with them and pretended that I was still in New York. All the “make-believe” sounded so silly but it worked and I felt 10 times better. I went on for another three miles and by the time I got home, I was tired and my legs were sore, ached like I just did the 20-mile hike with Mr. Chen, Sandy and George.

After I took a bubble bath, I fell asleep on a sofa. In the dream, someone asked me:

Why do you always like to torture yourself, to do the difficult thing?

“We choose to go to the moon….and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard” J K Kennedy

I will be fine HY, I will……Thanks for being a great friend.