rainforest musings

there was this one day in africa. me and a few friends had the day off and decided to go hike up to this amazing waterfall that was supposedly a big tourist attraction in uganda. it was one of our last days off in uganda so we wanted to end it with a big, huge, beautiful waterfall that you can only see in africa. 
so, we hopped on some boda bodas (the term they use for motor-bikes) and off we went. the ride there was amazing. we were speeding freely through huge beautiful cornfields, the horizon decorated with the greenest of tropical trees and mountains. the kind of lush green you have to see to believe. the road was a bit bumpy but that added a little element of surprise. we sped up and down the dirt hills, the tropical wind blowing through our hair. it felt like the kind of ride you would wait in line for 3 hours at disneyland to go on. of course, actually being in africa is much more surreal than even the best simulation at Disneyland.
Anyways, we got to this little hut in the smack dab middle of a hard core rain forest. we were then provided with directions to the waterfall. note: these directions were a little like this: some of the trees have blue markers on them- follow those blue marked trees until you get to the waterfall.
SO, NATURALLY, WE SET OFF INTO THE RAIN FOREST.
We were so excited to get to the waterfall. oh and the trees were nice too. 

the slightly claustrophobic (in a good way), tangled forest eventually opened up to a wide open space that took your breath away. you could hear the waterfall. we hurried towards the sound. perhaps we did not soak in the beauty around us as much as we should have; but we were just so anxious to see this waterfall that we would surely write home about and tell our children about one day.

well, we got to the waterfall. and guess what? it smelled really gross. like nostrils burning gross. it was also, umm, brown. straight up brown. and ya know- it wasn't all that tall. it really wasn't what we had envisioned.

can you see that little spill of vomit in the background? yes. that is the waterfall. so...let's just say if you live your life without witnessing that coca cola stream- it will really be ok. 

yes, i am going somewhere with this. the moral of this story? enjoy the journey. you know what? we were silly. on that boda boda ride, we enjoyed it yes- but not fully. we were daydreaming about the waterfall. that absolutely stunning green path that we hiked through- who ever really gets the opportunity to hike such a spectacular path? and the opening at the end of the path? not your everyday scenery. to be in the heart of a beautiful african jungle; to feel like the world has stopped and only the fresh air and the nature around you exist. take it in, breathe it in, this moment you will never get back. this view very few have ever had the privilege of beholding.

sometimes the destination is not all we are cracking it up to be. and while we are completely encompassed in the cracking up of said destination, we forget to cherish the moments we are in. we forget to just sit down and soak it in. sometimes instead of dropping our jaw in awesome wonder, we whine about how our lives would be better once ______ (fill in the blank, because we all have a blank.) 

i am definitely guilty of this. letting the hike become a hassle and solely a means to an end. i forget that i may be on a hike that another person would give anything to be on. so i am trying to enjoy the hike and the view instead of worrying about the waterfall. because the waterfall will present itself in due time. and it might be wonderful. it might be the same amount of wonderful as the very moment we are in right now. and it could even pale in comparison to your 'right now'. 
embracing every moment is truly vital to our happiness.





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(unless you hate all things adorable, of course)