A journey home For years I've travelled aimlessly to escape the reality that was my life, filled with adventure, memories and stress, but when I look back, were nothing more than a reminder of how disconnected I was, regardless of where I found myself in the world. No journey has been met with more trepidation, determination and willingness to grow, than my relocation from high life in Johannesburg to the calm that is Cape Town. A city where adventures await, experiences called my name and opportunities waited for no one. A memory that won't soon be forgotten, included a mountain I've climbed many times, with confidence, courage and with a desire to do it quicker every time, the only difference was that the pace was not set by own spontaneity, but rather by the determination, of someone that trusted in me, to prove that what I saw in them was to become their reality. We meet people every day, from walks of life we understand, some we disagree with, and other times we feel their pain and although the wish is to take it away, it makes them real and it's in three moments that I found the true meaning of home. Not for reasons one may expect, but it's in those that home became a feeling rather than a place. Lions Head, South African summer, middle of the day with no breeze to be felt. The climb was long, my motivation landed on complaints voiced by the person I believed needed this win. We climbed for what felt like days, the slowest in history, but most memorable of them all. The elements against us, conditions ideal and the company both present and to be met on route, perfect. With every step, we were closer to success, and one further from who we were when we started. Streams of people yelled 'you're almost there', admittedly, they were lying, yet, those words were the foundation we built on to push through. We stumbled across a lone ranger who opted to do the walk to prove that afters years he still could, we left him to take in the scenery, later finding him under a bush before his final climb, it was here I realized, inner peace was something I desired and he showed me, it was possible. Another group, told the victim I’d welcomed into my world that he looked terrible and should sit down. It was here I knew that not everything we do, needs to be a race, the same person who looked tired once said to me, 'all things happen as they should', he was right, annoyingly so, he always is. I played cheerleader, sweet distributor, hydration pack and captain of team, 'come on its not that bad'. I made it look easy, I smiled because that's what I do, I don't show the pain and I won't mutter those words, not while there are people around who don't need to hear them. We survived. What met us was more than I could’ve expected, more than I thought possible and something I could never have predicted. As someone who controls every narrative, including when and how to be spontaneous. I saw someone tackle everything I threw at them, every under breath mutter and cursing loud enough to reach my ears. I witnessed silence and strength emerge. Not every victory is an external one and sometimes those battles best won, are the ones within ourselves. Days later it dawned on me. A single mom, who up routed her family, moved them across country only to break it apart. Kids playing, smiling and carefree, it reminded me of the feelings I couldn't explain on that mountain. The beauty in where I chose to live is a part of me that I'll never let go. I fought hard for it, I lost everything because of it and swapping an everyday rush to succeed for the chance to slow down was a challenge I set for myself. Much like the battle that was Lions Head, I took far more away from it that the spectacular views, the sweat and laughter. I allowed myself to view life through the eyes of everyone else. We all fight secret wars, no one ever the same. We may perceive them to be, but what sets them apart are the journeys we've shared and those that we've allowed to teach us. It doesn't matter where I lay my head at night, the fact that I’m at peace within myself and am able to share life with those that add value to mine, mean that I am home and it may have taken me years to see that, it's added value to the ones I have left. I am happy, and I deserve to be.