The morning drizzle had just stopped. A flurry of flirting clouds danced over the skyline obeying the wind’s choreography.
Determined to get back on the road again, I loaded up my bicycle and headed up north.

As much as I liked the fragrance of wet earth after a rain, today, I was wishing to ride away from it as fast as I could.
I was heading to volunteer at a farm 60 kms North of Chiang Mai city.
I had heard great things about the farm from fellow travellers. The focus area of the farm is to integrate Farming and mindful meditation. Quite aptly, it was named, ‘Mindful Farmers Community.’

Fascinated by the farm’s core values, I headed straight in its direction without thinking twice.

I would have been better off if I had thought about the terrain though. Even though it was only 60kms away, it was also at a constant 8 percent slope for half of the way. Traversing through a huge national park throughout, I could hear waterfalls all around me. After a point, I couldn’t bicycle anymore, the slope was such. For the next two hours, I was pushing my Bicycle uphill. Halfway up,
I could hear a thunderstorm brewing at a distance. I took shelter at a bus stop and waited for thick black clouds to condense.
The storm lasted for half an hour. Determined still, I kept pushing the bike uphill. I must have been possessed by something, else there was no way I could go on. What seemed like a simple 3 hour  ride turned out to be an agonising 9 hour marathon. It was easily the most challenging thing I’ve done in my life.

But finally, I reached the destination at 6 pm. As I made my way into the community late in the evening, I was met with a friendly group of people. I was quickly escorted to my place in the dormitory, shown to the showers and then invited for meditation.
Following that I had a homely meal with all community members.
The place has a kind and accepting aura.
It is special indeed.

Sitting satiated after the sumptuous meal, as I reflect back on the day I wonder,

Notwithstanding where you are,
If you do what matters to you with all your heart,
People will even scale mountains,
Just to experience the deeply divine vibrations you set out into the world.

The wise monk who runs this farm,
Through his mindful work,
Led me all the way up this mighty hill.

And gave me a lesson,
Without speaking a word.