Reaching the Pyramids

Before I left in September, I spoke often about my excitement of going to Tikal. While doing researching for this trip I read about these “pyramids” that existed in Guatemala and from that moment I knew it would be a symbolic way to end my journey abroad. And here I am…I reached the Pyramids.

Tikal is absolutely spectacular. You are walking in the midst of dense jungle and suddenly, these immense structures rise out of the trees to greet you. They are incredible and more so impossible to believe that many were built around 100 B.C. It gets better…you can climb them. As Deborah put it yesterday, Tikal is like a big playground for adults. We spent the afternoon (after a 10 hour night bus ride across the entire country to get here!) scaling these structures. We then watched the sunset from atop the highest pyramid. Even though we were exhausted from our traveling we met some Canandians atop the pyramid who were staying at our hotel. The whole conversation started when Deborah apologized to me for making her buy a “stupid headflashlight” because all the Canandians had one and lead us out of the jungle. Turns out they were staying at our hotel and we all had a wonderful dinner and margaritas well into the night. Cora, Trevor and Craig are all scientists from Toronto, but two are moving the US soon for post-doc research. They are hilarious and we closed down the hotel restaurant.
Anyway…on to the most important part.
I had read the you could try to get into the park before hours to see the sunrise. Yesterday, I found a guide and haggled a little with him. He agreed to meet us at 4am at the entrance, but we were not allowed to tell a soul. And this morning we trekked through the jungle to Temple V in complete darkness. It was terrifying and exciting all at one. The structure (the second tallest but steepest) has the most harrowing wooden staircase I’ve ever encountered. And we had to climb it in the dark. Upon reaching the top finally, (still in the dark) we sat on a board and waited in complete darkness for the sunrise. They say “the darkest hour is just before dawn”, this morning certainly proved that cliché to be correct. As we sat there, cold and completely alone (the guide left once we reached the top) I realized what an amazing metaphor this was for life. You sit in the darkness and think that dawn will never come, but the sun does always rise. And this morning it was breathtaking. Watching that golden ball rise over the jungle and illuminate the Mayan structures was a once in a life-time event. We were completely alone in the jungle (just us the crazy howling monkeys).
I sat there and I thought about the symbolism of this event in my life. A year ago I know I would have let anxiety and fear inhibit me from doing so many things. Even that staircase or sitting in the dark, I know the old me would have felt so terrified that I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy anything. I realized how much in my life I’ve missed out on or ruined because I didn’t control that scared little voice inside. And on this trip I’ve learned to tame it and now look at me, I’ve climbed the pyramids. This morning was magical. I’m so glad I was able to share it with my sister, the two of us all alone in Tikal Park is a memory I will always hold dear.
This has been an incredible life journey for me in so many ways, but this morning, reaching the pyramids, seeing the sunrise on a new day, it seemed that much more special, poignant and complete.