Blood, Labor, and Goals

A trip to the Great Wall leads to a lesson worth living on. Written for a Grade 8 Memoir Project

Blood, Labor and Goals

Curiosity filled me as I looked out the bus window wondering about the next location in our tour of Beijing. I squinted, trying to find any clues of our destination; snow, snow, and�"  oh wait�" even more snow! Letting out a sigh of frustration, I knew I would just have to sit and wait. Aaaaaahhh! I was getting a bit tired anyways…

My entire being lurched forward, thrusting me back into reality. Before I could even recover, the backlash came; my back slamming hard on the raw leather of the seat. Thump Thump, I guess my heart had not liked the harsh awakening! Yet, I had to admit, it did a mighty fine job�"  I definitely felt wide awake. With my heart rate settling down, I quickly stood up. Now that we had finally arrived, I was eager to find out where we were. The bus door slowly opened as the people up front stepped out. A chilly breeze filled the bus and on its own accord, my body shuddered a little. I suddenly wasn’t so keen on getting off now and judging by the faces of everyone else, I wasn’t the only one reluctant. Even our massive piles of clothing couldn’t stand up against the bitter cold! But what can you do? I personally just went with the flow… (flow of people or events? I don’t even know myself. I only knew I couldn’t turn back now. People were starting to get restless behind me!)

A chilling sharp blast of snow hit my face as soon as I walked out. The sudden temperature change sent a frightening shiver down my spine. Even worse than Canada, I concluded, Every day of winter in Beijing felt like a bad snow day in Canada. Adjusting to the freezing cold, I looked up at my surroundings. The area was filled with several shops and food stands among other things. A whiff of smokiness filled my nose, I looked around for the culprit�" roasted chestnuts! I would have to remember to remind my parents about it later. I could�" no, would have started drooling right then and there, if the several awe-filled murmurs behind me hadn’t jolted me out of my thoughts. Turning to the source of commotion, I decided to find out what was happening. I was stunned…  amazed by the sheer size of the massive structure - a structure that was only one part of many others. I was looking at�"  The Great Wall of China (a part of it at least)!

As the tour guide led us closer and closer to the wall, it’s size became more and more apparent. I craned my neck, hoping to see the top. What greeted me however, was a flight of seemingly endless stairs, which I noticed, when we reached the base, were heavily worn. It even felt like it, the bricks rough and ragged under my hands. Due to, as the tour guide explained, “Thousands of years of use, carrying soldiers and their hefty weapons and armor through battles and wars”.

“However,” he continued to explain, “those times are over. Its use is now mostly coming from tourists as a token of the past. Attracting over four million tourists a year and…”

After his explanation was over, we were free to do anything we wanted, as long as we got back to the bus on time. Most of my fellow bus mates had determined look on their faces, while others had a look of doubt or hesitation. It wasn’t hard to tell who was going to attempt the trek up the Great Wall. My family and I were definitely going up. The challenge would just make it all the more memorable and rewarding.

“Slow down!” my mom called after me as I ran a fews steps ahead (maybe more than a few). This occurred several times, Almost like a video game tutorial, having to stop after every little progression, even when you just want to play the game, I thought to myself. The pace we had going was painfully slow, especially for a eight year old who, like all eight year olds, had endless energy (and no patience). However, the slower pace was nice in its own way. It gave me time to think and admire the wall, which, blinded by the goal of reaching the top, I had previously failed to do. It reminded me about a quote that went something along the lines of “The journey is more important than the destination”. The wall was certainly amazing, yet creations are only as amazing as the creator (in this case, creators). I was curious to how long it took to build, but to find out, I would need to know how long the wall was first. So I did what all intelligent eight year olds do, ask my parents!

“Dad,” I began for attention.

“Yes?”

“How long is the Great Wall of China?”

“Over 10,00 miles long,” he replied.

“Really?” I thought to myself.

“Yup”

I hadn’t even realized I had voiced my suspicion out loud, I was astonished. With this new information, I quickly did the ‘math’. Big wall equaled lots and lots of labor. How much exactly? Well... Fortunately, I didn’t have much time to ponder upon it, for we had reached the top!

The grandness of the wall was incredible, but what I was looking at now was equally mind blowing, yet completely different. Seeing the other sections of the wall snaking across the land, going up and down, left to right, showed you truly how long it actually was. The landscape itself however, was actually very simple, consisting of a rugged mountain backdrop with dense greenery at the bottom. But the position we were viewing it at, changed everything. From such an elevated standpoint, everything looked so teeny and from comparison, made me feel colossal. It gave me a sense of dominion, as if I decided everything. The wind blowing against my back a show of my power! Nothing could stop me! I was the king of the world!

The rush of adrenaline had started to fade as I continued to check out the landscape. But this time, at a completely different perspective. Instead of feeling superior, I felt… small. The universe felt so immense compared to me. However, I knew through hard work and perseverance, big impactful things could be accomplished. Heck! I was standing on proof of that right now! The thought eased my mind a bit as I continued to examine the view. Watching as snowflakes slowly covered the trees and mountains. Each snowflake meager but still contributing to something larger than themselves. A question nagged my mind, “what could I do to have a meaningful life”?

We had began our trek down the Great Wall. A wall that I had only begun to realize was the blood and labor of many people. Numerous had even died in the process, their grave being the wall itself. In every step I felt heavy, their spirit and presence weighing on my shoulders. Every one of them had a goal, something that I wish I had.

My trip to the Great Wall of China is one that I would surely remember. It sparked a passion in me. One that would keep pushing me through ups and downs. Something that would keep me on my path without fail. Thus began my journey of finding my life’s purpose.

Author's Note

Please give any opinions are suggestions. Especially for the dialogue. I really want to get better at writing and feedback helps a ton.