Mountains in the Distance

Lost in the desert I wandered for years.
Mountains looming in every direction.
Shining forests of green paradise
Calling me from the far horizon.

I never got closer to finding my way.
Adrift in the dust and dunes of doubt
I choked on the hot, dry air.
Wondering if I would ever escape.

Then an oasis appeared in the distance.
Far too perfect to be real.
A mirage I was sure.
I refused to walk toward it

The oasis persisted
Till I finally gave in
The trees there were real
But the well was now dry

I grew angry and distraught,
And more lost than ever.
But then I realized
That I had found a beacon.

A reverse Polaris.
I now had a gauge.
With the oasis to my back
I knew which way to walk.

It took me a long time
But I made it to the base.
With a sheer cliff before me
I learned how to climb.

Atop the craggy escarpment
I encountered more mountains.
Now I’m still climbing
Still trying to reach the peak.

The hardest parts of the journey
Are still very far ahead.
But now I have direction,
And that is all that matters.

Discussion

Have you ever had a “reverse oasis” in your life — something bad that kept you going in the right direction? Let me know in the comment section.