Day 2: Four pieces of cake and one wish
The weather improved and I went for the first guided hike – finally! We went up Ahornstein, a rather tiny mountain with an altitude of about 1800 meters. The wind blew fiercely and sometimes rain dribbled down on us – but the harsh weather made stopping for a bite to eat at the Zachhofalm even cosier. After a delicious Kaspressknödel and a herbal tea I felt strong enough to keep on walking and luckily we also catched some sunbeams on the way back. Those very few sunbeams were enough to give my forehead a weirdly-shaped sunburn which made me look like a total dork – I would have to wear my bangs straight down over the next couple of days in order to cover-up this facial mishap.
At today’s walking-tour there was one very peculiar moment for me: At the summit cross our hiking-guide asked us to make a wish. I felt uneasy at first but after pondering this task for a while I realized something really fabulous: I like the way things are at the moment. Life is good. I couldn’t think of any specific great wish that I would want to be fulfilled. It sure hasn’t always been this way.
What would I have said one year ago, I wondered, if somebody had asked me to make a wish?
I probably would have wished for more than just one specific thing: A better job, more time for my hobbies, more energy to do all the things that are on my mental bucket list…to name just a few. And now? It somehow all came true as a package due to my new job. At this moment at the summit cross it became clear to me how lucky I was and that instead of always wishing for more I could also take some time to be thankful for what I have right now. And so I did exactly that and saved my wish for later. I would surely need it some time in the future.
Back at the hotel I drowned my worries about tomorrow’s weather forecast in a big cup of coffee accompanied by four pieces of cake (chocolate cake, marble cake, a cream puff and apple tart, in case you’re wondering). In the spirit of making the best of suboptimal situations I must really say that staying at Vital Hotel Post is the best choice – their great cooking and baking skills will make you forget that you came to Austria for hiking and biking in the first place.
So what did I take away from this day?
- You can get a sunburn even if there is no sun.
- After the third piece of cake all your worries will have vanished into thin air.
- Having to wish for nothing is a blissful state and you should remind yourself more often of all that is good in your life.
Things I overthought 