“A contest like no other.”

 It didn’t start as a contest. In fact, it was meant to be a pleasant and invigorating walk through the rain forest.

But my body immediately went into its obstructive mode when I saw the distance and time factor of the walk.

My mind said yes, my body said no.

My mind being its strong-willed self, overruled my body telling it not to be a wimp, to suck it up, after all I mind enjoy it.

So off we went. The path was a walkway, made in such a way as the cater for wheelchairs and so I thought how hard can this be?

The landscape was breathtaking; there was no doubt about that, but my body being its cantankerous self, began complaining from the word go.

“Why are we doing this? Can’t we stay behind and wait for you?”

“Don’t be silly, you’ll be glad you made the effort. Now keep up, or she’ll think you’re not making an effort.”

So, it continued this way, me struggling to keep up, glad of the many stops to marvel at the scenery, the fallen rocks, millions of years old, the gurgling stream running below the suspension bridges the sheer variety of native flora, tall cedars, stinging plants and dangling vines of a kind I’d never seen before.

There was certainly plenty to see and distract me from the competition occurring between my mind and body.

But it didn’t have long before the two began their argument. We came to a particularly steep section of the walk, and it was here the contest if it was possible could have come to blows.

Thankfully the top arrived in time for me to gather my breath before I trudged on.

If the way at first had been up, it stood to reason that the way down would be just that, down!

And down it was with my body screaming to my mind that the way down was as painful if not more so.

My calves we very unhappy, promising to remind me for some days ahead of the torture I had put them through and at the same time my mind telling me that it wouldn’t be long before we were once again at the bottom.

At the bottom, my body overruled my brain, which wanted to explore the visitors centre, by finding a seat and plonking myself down upon the available seat. Glad I had packed water and some snacks we ate them as I contemplated the extent of the pain the body was going through.

“See,” said my mind,” aren’t you pleased you hung in there and stayed on the walk?”

“Yeah,” my body struggled to get out, “best, you don’t talk to me again for some time.”

My mind settled into its usual smug self, pleased the contest had gone in its favour.

Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2020/11/29/sunday-writing-prompt-30th-november-contest/