Remember the bright spark, that fierce fire?

It is about to be extinguished.

Why?

The dream became the site. The site is now the struggle. And that is more than anyone signed up for, even the dreamer that set this story in motion.

This the law of the universe: nothing is permanent. Not enthusiasm or motivation, not determination or perseverance. All things (good and bad) and all seasons (lean and fat) shall pass. Three weeks into making and remaking have come at a steep price: bone-deep exhaustion that cannot be slept away; high-strung anxiety that cannot be breathed out; and the occasional pangs of doubt about whether the path is still the path.

Has an important turn been missed?

Is there a marker of assurance up ahead?

If the only way out is through, how does one know when they have arrived at the exit?

Another unspoken law of the universe for your troubles: through is not a place, it is not a time. It is a decision, a choice about whether to stop or continue. Whether a hurdle is overcome is determined by a person, their attributes, and their choices.

All great stories angle towards the through moment, the fulcrum of change that lies beyond the precipice of defeat. And since this story has the feeling of incompleteness about it the welding sparks must fly, the screech of fabrication must be savoured, and more than 25 tons of steel, sweat, and swear words must make their way out of storage to their new home.

This adage holds true: what was burned in the fire will be found in the ashes.

Images: Past The Ashes. © Rémy Ngamije, Windhoek, 2022.