August (motivation)

I've also had time to reflect on why the whole Kokoda trek idea had such immediate appeal. And I've decided that, apart from the military history, there are several personal reasons:

1. It's been a long time since I've done anything for myself.

2. Having spent the past 26 years as a mother, going for a long walk sans offspring sounds MARVELLOUS.

3. I'd like to lose weight and get fit - and this seems a surefire (if rather drastic) way to do it. No excuses!

4. I have some issues (just as we all do) that I'd like a little bit of time to deal with. Mainly because my methodology thus far has been to use my cerebral floor-coverings as a storage facility, meaning I just shove everything remotely unpleasant under the carpet and try to ignore it. Which only works until the carpet gets all lumpy and you trip over the damn thing.

5. Then there's the fact that lately I've noticed a certain complacency has slithered into my outlook. And, in some strange way, it feels older than my actual years, almost as if providing desensitisation in advance. So that, for example, if I'm watching a lifestyle program and some adventure or other comes on, I just take a sip of my hot chocolate and muse 'well that would have been nice but too late now.' And I mention my age nowadays more than I ever used to, often as an excuse not to do something (like move furniture or master the Nintendo Wii). Then there's things like the other day when I was staring dolefully into the mirror at my outfit and I noticed a small lump underneath my right breast. Upon investigation, it turned out to be my nipple. But rather than be horrified at this southward migration of hitherto well-placed body parts, I simply shrugged philosophically (and re-positioned it). Now this complacency is probably quite beneficial for long-term psychological well-being because, whether we like it or not, we are all going to age (even Nicole Kidman). But I suspect that it can go too far, especially when it becomes a justification for lethargy. And while trekking the Kokoda will not assist physical rejuvenation (perhaps surgery might be a later challenge?), it will - I hope - aid mental rejuvenation. In other words I need a challenge to shake me up. Besides...

6. Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO, what a ride!" (not sure who to attribute this quote to but it's been doing the rounds of the internet for a while).