Day10 - At the Mountain Peak Connecting Smiles

Climbing the Mountain with Mother Again

There's a cherished memory I have with my mother—when we climbed that mountain together. It wasn't steep, just a low mountain where we could ascend about eighty percent of the way by cable car. After disembarking, it was only a one-hour hike to the summit. Along the way, especially in summer, there were many delightful rest spots like beer gardens, restaurants, and tea houses.

Back then, Mother was incredibly energetic, even more so than me. While I rested at a tea house, tired, she would briskly forge ahead. After a while, she'd return from the summit and say brightly to me, leisurely enjoying dumplings, "What are you doing?" Remembering her smile and lively voice brings a smile to my face.

Soon after Father passed away, Mother lost interest in going anywhere. But recently, she said, "I want to climb that mountain again." Though her knees ache a bit now and she can't walk long distances, if we take it slow and she walks a little each day without rushing, we might be able to climb that mountain together again.

Thinking of that fills me with excitement. Dreaming of the day we'll climb that mountain again and laugh together like we used to, I take Mother's hand, and we start our walk today as well.