Reflection: Chilin' Expedition

This is my favourite assignment since I began this course and I would like to share my "Reflection Paper" with you.

For our “Modul Kecerdasan dan Kecergasan Diri,” our ‘Sidang E’ chose Gunung Ulu Semangkuk and Bukit Kutu as the destinations, which were located beside Fraser’s Hill in the Selangor / Pahang border, along Sungai Chiling. It took us about 3 hours to climb up Gunung Ulu Semangkuk and another 3 hours to descend. As for Bukit Kutu which was a lot more challenging, we spent 6 hours climbing up and another 6 hours coming down. I have obtained an unforgettable experience through this expedition and have learnt many lessons which I am proud to share in this paper of reflection.

It is said that if one gets close to know nature, one will get to know to God. I found this exceptionally true as I ascended and descended the two mountains. With each step taken to climb up, I was in awe of the greatness of God in creating the world and all that is in it; the trees of various sizes, shapes and designs, the plants, the insects, the sky above, the sun and the ground, the air we breathe, and how everything works together in synchronization in this universe, at His command. I was also gained more understanding of the concepts used in religious scriptures and how they related so perfectly to nature. For example, the concept of stepping on solid ground to prevent from falling which means to keep our spirit strong to prevent vice, was so evident in nature when I stepped on soggy ground and almost fell. I also remembered other promises of God that He will send his angels to catch us lest we dash our foot against a stone, so many times when I almost fell.

Apart from that, once again, I was able to experience the truth that no man is an island. I could really feel the esprit de corps among each and every team member as we motivated each other to complete the climb when we fell exhausted and the peak seemed too high to ever reach. The stronger ones helped the weaker ones climb by reaching out their hand to pull others up, our pushing the back from behind. Our team leader, Adi Faizal, was exceptionally a motivational leader and he kept telling us that in another 10 minutes, the mountain path would not be so steep. And when the ten minutes had passed, he would say, in another 15 minutes time, the path would be easier. Although at the back of our heads, we knew he was just saying it to motivate us and was not really true, it indeed did help motivate us and was exactly what we needed; a hope to go on. Every now and then, we took breaks to recollect our energy; we shared what whatever food and drinks we brought. When we finally reached to peak of both mountains together, the feeling was just indescribable! We had made it together, and would not have done it without each other.

There is a saying that goes, ‘The mind is the battlefield. We either win or lose the battle in the mind.” This proved itself to be remarkably true as I ascended and descended both mountains. At several points, the hill seemed to be almost 90 degrees steep and I wondered if I would ever be able to make it up. I told my mind I could do it, and that I would do whatever it takes to make it. I was on all fours like a ‘spider woman’ for God knows how long, and I did not even think of looking down. As I saw the ones before me making their way up little by little, I motivated myself that if they could do it, I could do it too. The human body responds and reacts to what the mind says, and if the mind gives up, even the strongest will fail.

Besides that, I developed a greater appreciation towards the human body. Initially, I wore hand gloves to protect my hands but removed it when I felt very warm. I was amazed that the tender skin on the palm was able to provide such good grip of the tree trunks and branches. Even when I was on all fours like an animal, my hands that I thought were feeble were able to support me so well. When I felt that I had no more strength to go on, my ankles and legs were still able to take me up and down safely. I was once more amazed at the workmanship of God in making humans fearfully and wonderfully perfect for every function we could think of. I repented for the times when I belittled my own body and was extremely thankful to God for the body He has given me.

There is a song in the musical ‘The Sound of Music’ which goes, “Climb every mountain, ford every hill, follow every rainbow, till you find your dream..” I was able to fully grasp the meaning of these lyrics in the Chilin’ expedition. I was able to relate this song to dreams of success, the fear of failure and expectations. There were times in the climb when we going all uphill and we could almost see the sunlight so clearly. I was thinking that we were going to reach the peak at almost any moment, only to find that all of a sudden, we had to thread a valley downhill. It made me remember that along our way to achieve success, the path is not forever uphill; there are times when we will have to go downhill to again before reaching the top. If things in life do not happen exactly according to our expectation, God has other plans and there are reasons for it. There are lessons we must learn on the way. God has equipped humans with indescribable capabilities and potential, but sometimes we do not even try to push ourselves because of the fear of failure, and we do not have enough confidence. What is important in life is that we will always face challenges but we must not quit, as the poem goes, “When the road you are trudging seems all uphill, rest if you must, but do not quit.” And when we finally reach the top, we must remember that it is not our final destination. Our journey will never end as long as we breathe, and we must never forget how we reached the top and the lessons we learned.

All in all, this ‘Expedisi Chilin’ has been extremely beneficial to me and I will never be able to forget it. It has been inscribed in my heart and I will always cherish the wonderful relationships forged among friends and team mates, and the wonderful teamwork displayed through this expedition. My self-confidence and endurance has increased, and I feel stronger. This expedition has made me push myself against my own limitations and helped me realize that we are actually more capable than we think we are. I am also very thankful for the organizers, INTAN, for creating a module such as this.