What a tiring day. Why tiring? Because... We successfully climbed up Mt. Wudang, through the hot sun, cold winds, rain, fog, cigarette smoke, sweat, tears, cramps, aches and more.
Along the way up, we experience true teamwork, and compassion for others. Although my group started off quite late compared to the others, the 4 of us slowly took our time up and down the many flights of stairs. On the way up, we met up with Group B and Group D, where we saw Edward and Yuchuan displaying their Moral Values by helping an elderly-looking man carrying heavy loads of snacks, water and other stocks up the mountain all on his own. Seeing them give their all to help a stranger really touched the rest of us, so we also helped out. I even tried to carry the entire load, but could not manage more then 4 steps, so we decided to break the bulk and have everyone carry a little of the load up the mountain.
We're ready to conquer Mt. Wudang!
on the way up, one step at a time
our 2 strongmen helping to carry the heavy load
us helping to carry the broken-up loads
halfway to the top! exhausted but determined
group B and Group C, together up the mountain
first 2 groups to reach the entrance to the Golden Summit! All the way!
here we stand, on the Golden Summit!
carrying our hopes and wishes for us & our families - fortune locks
now we can proudly say, We Came, We Saw, We Climbed, We Conquered Mt. Wudang
Reflection:
Climbing up the mountain, although technically we were climbing and walking up and down stairs, was not an easy task, but I believe that because we made it up together as a group, encouraging and taking care of each other, time went by faster, and the challenge became easier.
When we reached the rest-pavilion about 1/3 of the way up the mountain, we saw Edward and Yuchuan helping to carry this very bulky load on an old man. Seeing then struggle and putting in their utmost effort to help a complete stranger really touched me. While the 2 of them took a rest, I too tried my hand at shouldering the load. My tired legs, exhausted from carrying my 80kg body up so many flights of stairs, couldn't bear the extra 100kg or so, and the carrying pole slipped off my shoulders and I collapsed after the third step up a flight of stairs. Luckily, Group B had also showed up, so together, the guys of Groups B, C and D helped to distribute the boxes and lighten to load on the carrying pole to make it easier for Edward and Yuchuan to carry the remaining cargo up.
While carrying the boxes, I thought of how my ancestors might have experienced similar hardship, working as coolies on shipping docks carrying sacks of grain or other cargo on similar carrying poles. Life must have been really tough on them, and on the old man who had to carry such heavy loads up the mountain everyday to replenish stocks for the shops up the mountain, while earning only a measly sum per day.
Unlike yesterday, today I am grateful to have experienced 2 things, climbing the mountain with friends, and experiencing a tiny fraction of what life must have been like for many of our ancestors who worked as coolies along Singapore's shipping docks.
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