Stairs

I think reaching good things needs a climb. I live on Hong Kong's hills. At the beginning, I still avoided stairs out of habit by taking public transport up and down. As I got fitter and my outlook on life changed, I now look for the hidden short cuts, nooks and gutters in this old part of the city. It's been romantic, rewarding, frustrating, sweaty but fun.

Like most people, I prefer flatland over hills. Elevators over stairs. Stable jobs over too much drama. I think I still do on a good day... but I prefer looking for better days.

There is an old steep and narrow stairway nearby. Using it required climbing up a little and squeezing past 2 way walking traffic. I never tried it until today and avoided 3 street crossings I had used so often.

In work and life, I prefer adventure. I was one of those kids who pretended he was in space, racing cars, making acceptance speeches, rocking out, reliving dramatic scenes... anything anywhere but the safe room I was in. In work, I chose harder unpopular jobs.

Yet after my 18 day prison experience 7 years ago, I started to avoid risk and wanted to settle down in "safety". Simultaneously my health deteriorated until I ended up at the hospital for 50 days. 3 years of healing, depression, exercise, diet change, moving, a toe amputation, hopelessness, love, romance, fun, friends and blogs later....

I'm loving stairs, challenges and problems again because it is in climbing that better things happen. A child, a company, a tree and perhaps life is about climbing, growing and discovering. Staying put may seem easier but it's the beginning of decline. My last 7 years can attest to that.