1 . The Decision That Changed My Life

We make decisions every day. Whether it is a small decision like what to wear that day or a big decision like where to go to college, these decisions have at least some influence on the rest of our lives. I wanted to talk about a decision I made that has changed my life forever.    1    I know that it seems like such a tiny decision, but it truly has changed my life.

I gave up soda about a month and a half before my trip to the Bahamas as a healthy step towards “getting in shape” for my trip. At first I thought it was going to be really hard giving it up, but after that first two weeks I wasn’t thinking about soda at all. One tiling led to another and I started eating better, working out more and just generally living a healthier life. I had already seen a difference in my life following this healthier life style.    2     During my trip I was extremely tempted to drink soda because all we were drinking was water.    3    

That was because I wanted to show those who maybe thought I wouldn’t be able to do it that they were wrong. Soon the urge to drink soda somewhat disappeared and I really did not even become tempted by it by the end of the trip. I got home to the States and when I got back home I decided to weigh myself. I had lost 20 pounds on my trip!

I also wanted to give some advice for those who were in the same situation as I was, where you wanted/needed to give up something that you think you can’t live without.    4     My friends really helped me out by supporting me and reminding me of the reason why I was doing it. Lastly, remember why you are giving it up. Use the goal of you losing weight or being generally healthier to motivate you through the struggle. In the end, giving up soda changed my life and I don’t regret my decision what so ever.

2 . A long，long time ago，Nyame the sky god hid all the stories in a box high in the sky. No person or animal had any story to tell，so everyone was very sad.

Then one day，an old spider，Anansi，made a long web all the way to the sky. Anansi climbed the web to the sky and asked Nyame，“Can I have the stories please？I'll do anything if you give us the stories."Nyame thought for a moment.Then he answered，“Fine. First I will give you a task. Bring me three things：a snake，a leopard，and bees.Then I will give you the stories." Nyame laughed so loudly that everyone on Earth could hear him！Anansi climbed slowly back to Earth and told his wife, Aso, what had happened. She listened carefully. Then she said，"I have a plan."

Later that day，Anansi followed Aso's plan. First，he found a long stick. After that，he went near Snake's home and said loudly，“This is very long，very long indeed！"When Shake heard Anansi talking, he said，“What is so long？"Anansi answered，“I'm sorry，Snake.This stick is longer than you are. “Snake answered proudly. “It is not！I'm a very long snake! You will see that I am longer.” He moved next to the stick. Then，Anansi quickly used his web to tie Snake to the stick.

Immediately，Anansi climbed back to the sky and gave the snake to Nyange. Bur Nyame only said，“I told you to bring three things.Where are the other two？"Then Nyame laughed，“Ha ha ha！” Anansi sadly went back to Earth with no stories. He asked his wife，“How will I ever obtain a leopard？"

Again，Aso had a plan，and Anansi followed it. First，he made a hole in the ground and put sticks over it so no one could see the hole.The next day，Anansi went back to the hole and Leopard had fallen inside！Anansi used his web to quickly tie him up. He took Leopard to Nyame. Nyame looked surprised this time. He said，“You still must bring the bees！"Again，Anansi asked Aso for help. Again，he followed her plan.The next day he found a tree with bees in it. He quickly threw water on the tree and on himself. Then he said to the bees，“It is raining！Quick--get inside my gourd（葫芦）. It will keep you dry.”So the bees fell for his trick and all flew into Anansi’s gourd. With a big smile，Anansi used his web to close the gourd, so the bees could not get out.

Finally，Anansi took the bees to Nyame. Nyame was not laughing anymore. Nyame kept his promise and gave Anansi all of the stories. Very carefully，Anansi carried all the stories back down to Earth. And after he told each story，he said，“Stories are for telling，not for keeping in boxes.”

3 . The three men sat in the truck, unaware of the hot Nevada sun. Their attention was focused on a fourth man, middle-aged, tall slender, and rather well dressed for the desert-like land of the Carson River Valley. He walked purposefully over the sandy soil, systematically covering the area of a gentle rise. In his outstretched hands was a Y-shaped tree branch.

“I feel silly about this,” one of the men in the truck said. “What he's doing is contrary to all my beliefs.”

“Just you wait” one of the other two told him. “Then you won't feel so silly anymore.”

At length, the man with the branch stopped his walking. The stick he carried by the two ends of the Y no longer pointed toward the sky. Instead, it was pointing to the ground with a definite swinging motion.

“That's it,” one of the men in the truck called. He jumped over the side and ran toward the man with the stick. Within minutes, a stake had been driven into the ground at the point where the forked stick was pointing. Early the next morning，a drilling rig (钻机) lowered its bit into the earth at the same point and mechanical digging began. Less than twenty feet down, the drill stuck something the man who said he felt silly had been seeking for months: water.

It had been an uncommonly dry summer, even for that part of Nevada. One well had gone dry, and livestock were thirsty. Previous attempts at well drilling had failed, government geologists and soil engineers had gone over the area with maps, testing equipment, and sounding device. The best they could accomplish for the farmer was a gloomy series of dry holes. All the farmer had to show for his faith in men of science was a considerable drilling bill and a thirsty herd.

He had felt silly because he had been pushed by desperation into listening to some of his neighbours who suggested he try a water witch: the man with the forked stick.

After the well was completed and plenty water flowed forth, the farmer smiled nervously as he paid the water witch his twenty-five-dollar fee. “It seems so crazy to be doing this,” he said. Perhaps part of the craziness came because the farmer was a university graduate, a teacher of science at a nearby high school. However, even odder was the water witch's request for anonymity. “I don't mind you telling people you had searched for water through the use of a diving rod,” the water witch had said, “but I'll be grateful to you if you don't mention my name in any way that gets into print. I don't think my boss would like it.”

4 . I’m a talker. I am keen on debating, gossiping and teasing when I have people to talk to. Under lockdown, however, I’ve only had my partner, Peter.

We not only lived, worked and travelled together, we mostly socialized together, too. Under the first UK lockdown, our already closeness began to feel uncomfortable. While talking to Peter, I could see his attention drift.

For the first time in our 10 years together, we needed to be alone. I tried to manufacture this by going on walks on my own, but a short walk wasn’t doing the job. I had hiked in remote spaces all over the world but always in a pair or group — for safety reasons. I considered my options and hit upon an idea: the semi-solo hike.

Could we do a circular hike but walk in different directions? This would give us the space and peace of a solo hike — done by a person alone. It felt like a promising way out, and he agreed to give it a try.

We started with a four-mile loop (环路) from Reeth. At the start, we parted ways. At first, I was aware of how close we were, which lessened the appeal. As I gained ground, however, I found myself very much alone. I set my own pace, and I decided to take my time.

I sat on a rock and breathed out. That moment — with the weak sun through the clouds and the breeze blowing — felt extraordinary to me. I was born and raised in London and had never imagined leaving until I met an outdoorsman. Now, my former life as a city girl felt crazy. In remembering what I had gained, I felt the tension leave me. There, in the chilly air, I no longer needed to talk. The semi-solo hike gave us a shared experience with added room to breathe.

I didn’t see Peter on the way but reunited back where we started, both pleased.

The semi-solo hike is admittedly silly in theory, but for me it has been a lifeline. It has given me the gift of time alone and, in a year of constant closeness, the joy of reuniting.