I used to think faith was something you either had or didn’t. That some people just believed, and others didn’t, as if it was a gift you were born with. But that changed when I stood at the foot of a mountain, staring up at the peak that felt too far to reach. Doubt crept in, a voice telling me I wasn’t strong enough, that this was too much for me. But then, I remembered: faith is a choice. It wasn’t knowing for sure I could do it. It was choosing to believe I could, even when uncertainty weighed heavy. So I took one step. Then another. …
Collecting Positivity Like Scraps of Sunlight
At 12,000 feet, my legs were shot, my breath uneven. The summit wasn’t happening, and I had made my peace with that. Almost. Then, my trek leader said, “You’re doing great.” I knew she said it because I needed to hear it, not because it was true. But I clung to it anyway. Like a small flame in freezing wind. Later, when I stumbled into camp, someone offered me tea without asking. Another smiled and said, “Today was tough, huh?” Just that—no judgment, no advice. I pocketed it all. You take positivity wherever you find it. A kind …
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The Pain That Stays
I thought it would fade. That with time, it would dull, shrink, maybe even disappear. But some pains don’t listen to logic. They settle in, uninvited, making a home where I wish they wouldn’t. On my last trek, I told myself I was past it. That I had made peace with not summiting. That the self-doubt I carried wouldn’t weigh me down anymore. But then, as I watched others push ahead with ease, the familiar sting crept back in. It shouldn’t matter, I told myself. I made my choice. I don’t regret it. And yet, the ache lingers. A quiet …
What You Don’t See in the Photos
She looked effortless in the summit picture—arms raised, a wide grin, snow-capped peaks behind her. I double-tapped, then sighed. I had just come back from my own trek, where I felt like the weakest in my group. Where every incline made me question why I was here. Where I cried, not from the view, but from exhaustion and self-doubt. No one posts that part. A week later, I spoke to someone who had done the same trek. “It was brutal,” she admitted. “I almost turned back.” I stared at her, surprised. Her photos had told a different …
Prisoner to the Elements Against Which I Have No Defense
I thought I had prepared. Layers upon layers of fleece and down. Gloves thick enough to smother my fingers into numbness. A balaclava that left only my eyes exposed. Yet, none of it mattered. At 12,000 feet, the wind didn’t just cut through me—it claimed me. It howled through the valley, slapping my face raw, seeping into every gap I had failed to seal. I tried to walk faster, to generate warmth, but the air was thin, and my lungs had turned against me. Every breath felt like drinking through a straw. This wasn’t the first time I had …
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Kuari Pass Trek: A Journey Beyond the Summit
The Kuari Pass Trek in Uttarakhand has long been hailed for its grandeur—the majestic Himalayas stretching across the horizon, the serenity of oak forests, and the vast meadows that unfold before your eyes. The sight of Mt. Nanda Devi, so rare and beautiful, never fails to captivate the soul. Every day on the trail feels like a fresh adventure, a story waiting to unfold, making this trek unforgettable. October vs. January: A Tale of Two Treks I’ve walked the Kuari Pass trail twice now. The first time, in October, I pushed through the …
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