14. Picture it
I
once visited the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. It was a wonderful trip,
fascinating, astonishing, profound. My friends and I climbed deep into
the hillsides down steep stone shafts to view the immortal dreams of
people who lived thousands of years before Christ.
It was a busy day in the Valley, so the three of us walked away from the main drag, up one of the bare hillside paths to view a tomb no one else seemed interested in. As we climbed, a local Egyptian guide told us to follow him to the crest of the slope from which we could enjoy a view across the eternal Nile to Luxor:
'like the beautiful things you dream behind your eyes'.
Unfortunately it was a hazy, humid day and we could scarcely make out
the river. But the Egyptian guide's enigmatic, inspiring words gave
me an imagined mental picture that has stayed with me with perfect clarity
for many years.
I haven't yet used this imagined place in my writing, but one day I will. I'm keeping it stored away – just in case.
