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Challenge of the Week LXXXVII
Descriptive Writing. One of the four foundational elements of the written word. You can write about anything you want, poetry or Prose; but make sure to focus on your descriptions. Whether you're describing a character, a setting, or an emotion, we want the imagery to leap out of the page. But tread lightly - there is such a thing as too much description. We're looking for that perfect balance. Imagery that sings, but doesn't scream.
aleftau
33 reads

Sisu

The heat was unbearable.

There I sat, crammed in a wooden bench with 8 middle-aged Finns, sweat trickling down my face. The heat seemed to loosen the usually laconic Finns who conversed disregarding their treasured personal space.

A sizzle came from the stove as a cedar-scented wave of heat thickened the air around me. Sweat drenched the whole of my body now, hot air burning the inside of my nostrils, yet I sat there in deep thought; waiting, stalling, knowing the moment approached but reluctant to break the bubbling tension within me..

My hesitation must have seemed apparent to the man who had greeted me, for he spoke to me in a thick Finnish accent, “The first time is always the hardest”- he said, staring at me with cold gray eyes, as he poured more water over the scalding rocks- “It’s all about sisu”; a murmur followed his words in approvement.

The next heat wave sent me to my feet, and I walked towards the door.

The residual heat from the sauna protected me from the cold like a mist armor trailing behind me as I walked the blue carpet towards the stairs at the end of the pier.

But nothing stops the relentless frigid air, and it slowly seeped inside me with every step I took, my socks cracking as they stuck to the frozen carpet. I shivered staring at the black hole that contrasted against the white sheet of ice.

The metal handle felt cold as I climbed down the steps, my mind bracing for the impact. When the frigid water touched my chest, I gasped and inhaled violently, slipping into a sheer cold void where a million pricking needles slowly sapped the heat of my body. Struggling to keep my head above the water, I moved my hands as fast as I could, the numbness of my fingers extending towards my arms.

Suddenly, as the heat went to my core to protect itself from the cold, I saw it. My heart racing to combat hypothermia showed me the relentless fight my body was willing to put to survive obstacles, the strength of will it had against extreme circumstance. And that extraordinary determination in the face of adversity showed me the meaning.

I finally understood… Sisu.

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