At The Speed of Light

Topic: If you could zoom through space in the speed of light, what place would you go to right now. What is the back story? Why this place? How does this place affect me? Have I been here?
 
Twist: Organize your post around the description of a setting. Clear sense of the space – concrete details to explain space. Immerse the reader into the space.

This is not time travel. It is today and I am here. For this writing assignment I thought of many places to visit. Most are places I never yet experienced.  Right now a coworker is in Peru visiting Machu Picchu, a place I want to visit.  The country of Italy is waiting for my first visit as well. So many other places to visit.

For today though, my thoughts go to a place I visited 27 years ago. I am not interested in going back in time, only to visit once more at the speed of light. It was there that I lay witness to something bigger and greater. I did not know it, but I was at a decision point.  Indeed, I made my decision, a very safe decision, and my career and life moved forward.

I now recognize the opportunity laid out for me today. I can define and label myself. At the speed of light I want to go to this place and both remember my past, but more importantly, commit to my future.

The place is Egypt. More specifically, a room at the Mena House Resort with a view of the great pyramid of Giza. It is there I travelled 27 years ago. A journey North and South following the Nile River. A wonderful trip to an amazing land full of great wonder, people and experience.

I was a recent college grad with a degree in Anthropology.  I carried several Nikon cameras, lens, notebooks and pens. This was the beginning of a lifetime of adventure and purpose. A lifetime of creation, contribution, and connection.

No regrets as my life turned to the conventional once I returned home.  As I stand here today 27 years later though I am ready to return and indeed I do at the speed of light. This place represents my opportunity to not go back, but to step forward into a life of adventure and purpose.

I am there, now.

I lie on the bed in my hotel room. It is the middle of the night and I quickly fall asleep after arriving in the deepest dark of the evening.  The room is cool and I am both exhausted from travel and excited for the light of day.

I wake. The call to prayers starts with morning twilight. I do not understand the words, but I stand and walk to the balcony. The singing draws me forward. I find the curtains, heavy and dark.  I do not turn on the lights and fumble along to find the opening in the curtain, my entryway to the balcony, first light of day and to the vision I anticipate.

I find the opening and slide back the door. With the call to prayers now louder I step out onto the balcony and look to the sky.  As it was 27 years ago for me, the great pyramid fills that sky. On my first visit, I remember stumbling and losing my balance.  The scale is shocking. The great pyramid is so massive that indeed it filled the sky. As before, as now, I want to reach out from my balcony and touch it.

The sun continues to rise as I leave Mena House and walk toward the great pyramid.    Time is moving slower and with purpose.  I am more aware as I hike up through sand to the plateau and the Great Pyramid itself. I can now indeed touch it. No one else is in sight, but I do not feel alone.

I begin to walk and circle the great pyramid. I carry nothing. No camera. No pen. All I need is with me. The sun is slowly rising as I continue to walk. The sun is fully above the horizon as return to where I started. The circle is complete and I am ready to move forward.  At the speed of light I return to my home with sand in my shoes and a feeling of joy that I am now on the right path.

Note: This post is part of the WordPress Writing 101 Challenge – to write every weekday this month of June. No need to publish every post, but I will write on the topic each day and publish most to this blog. Time to write!