My favorite place:

From low to high

Reflecting on top of the world

By: Halle Marr | Royal Reporter

I was crammed between the seat and the people around me as we drove one of the bumpiest roads. It was dark and the sun was not up yet. For the view we were about to see, this journey was more than worth it. My belly was full of coffee, cream and sugar and my tired eyes were adjusting to the dawn.

I remember the trek up the mountain as if it were yesterday. The trail was covered in brush and unfamiliar plants. As I made my way up, the sun began to shine bits of light. Reaching the top, I remember taking a deep breath and releasing it into the cool, crisp air. My breath was taken away by the picturesque scenery before me. From where I was standing, I could see everything. Looking west, I could see the Pacific Ocean. Looking East, the Caribbean sea.

It was my last week in the beautiful country of Costa Rica; the land where I established my independence from all I’ve ever known. This was the place I called home for four months. Standing on top of this mountain, where I was literally standing on the second highest place in the land, my experience flashed before my eyes in that moment. I had this overwhelming realization that it was all coming to an end. Even though these four months had been the most difficult of my life, I didn’t want to forget. These people, my host family, and this beautiful country were all just going to fade into a memory.

I sat for what seemed like forever, yet not long enough, taking it all in. I flashed back to the day I arrived in this country, alone and very foreign. I remembered the moment I risked my life. I took a literal leap of faith in these mountains where I bungee jumped. Not knowing if I would die, and yet being okay with the idea of it happening, I realized just how valuable life is as I freefell 500 feet in mid air.

It was in that moment where I realized just how big our God is. It was in that movement where my experiences flashed before me, and I was in shock that I was still alive. I had left for this journey not knowing what to expect. For all I knew, I wasn’t going to come back alive and in some ways that is true. I died to myself in the mountains of Costa Rica.