PERSONAL ESSAY | MUSINGS | WRITING CHALLENGE

Unfinished, Not Forgotten

The mountains are still calling—and the answer is just a “someday” away…

Every mountain view adds fuel to the dream. [Image created by the author using Gemini AI]

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Not abandoned. Not failed. Just… unfinished. Still open at one end. Still breathing — Manmeet Singh Bhatia

Some unfinished dreams simply wait — neither they are abandoned nor they fade with age.

Yes, they do wait patiently.

I am a mountain soul by heart. Not that I fail to appreciate sea, forests, deserts, rivers, and every other landscape nature offers but mountains have always spoken to me. On a different wavelength altogether.

The silence, strength, and vastness of the mountains have a way of calling me back to myself.

The Himalayas have been a part of my travels many times. I have admired the matchless beauty, walked the wonderful trails, and found profound solace in the presence. Yet one dream continues to wait that I have carried for years.

To ride a motorbike through the mighty Himalayas.

Over the years, I have found myself watching fondly Himalayan motorbike travel docu-series. As the mountains unfold on screen, every virtual journey seems to add another layer to my long-standing yearning.

Even while watching *Dhak Dhak *(meaning the sound of a beating heart) a couple of years back — a Bollywood film about four women of different ages and backgrounds riding motorbikes from Delhi to Ladakh chasing their respective dreams that seemed larger than themselves — I felt that yearning well-fed, still alive, and kicking!

The mighty mountains, the hairpin bends, the dust-covered riders, the unprecedented weather, the hair-raising stories of endurance, the picturesque, ribboning yet risky turns, and the everlasting wonder — all of it gently pampering and empowering my dream.

I turned fifty, recently— and as I crossed that threshold, I found myself that I have no desire to prove anything — free to say No, free to stay in comfortable, breathable wear anytime, free to keep a safe distance from toxic people, free to welcome grey hair, wrinkles, extra pounds, oodles of wisdom, and learning experience to the table laced with generous smile.

@50 — dreams not Forgotten!

@50 — dreams just Unfinished!

And right there, waiting patiently, was this dream.

In my mind, I am riding north on a Harley-Davidson. Though honestly, a Royal Enfield would do just as well. The ‘mean’ machine matters less than the dream journey.

I imagine the cold mountain air brushing against my face, roads winding through valleys, colorful prayer flags fluttering in the distance, and snow-capped peaks standing guard over the enthralling landscape.

I imagine reaching Ladakh, perhaps even one of the highest motorable passes in the world, and simply standing there in silence and gratitude, utterly humbled by the gigantic grandeur around me.

But life is enticed with responsibilities, routines, deadlines, and practical considerations.

Every year, I tell myself, “Someday.”

And someday remains unfinished.

For a long time, I thought unfinished things were signs of failure — dreams left behind, plans that never materialized, and horizons that remained unexplored.

Now I see them in a new perspective — some unfinished things are simply waiting for their season.

My Himalayan ride is one of them.

It lingers somewhere between longing and possibility, between today’s reality and tomorrow’s courage, and between the road imagined and the road traveled. Perhaps that is why it continues to feel so alive — something worth hoping for.

The very thought of the journey still revs my spirit.

Thankfully!

Maybe one day, I will start the engine and head towards the mountains that have always felt like home.

Until then, the unfinished dream travels with me.

But very much alive — and I wish to tick it green before my back creaks too much when I stand up (chuckles)!

To live in the present moment is a miracle. The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green Earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now― Thich Nhat Hanh

This is a humble prompt response to the thought-provoking writing challenge posted by Manmeet Singh Bhatia.

[embed]🧵Unfinished — A Writing Challenge Some things were never meant to end. Some things ended before they should have. Some things are still waiting.medium.com

Thank you for tagging me, Manmeet. The moment I read the theme ‘Unfinished’, my thoughts wandered to my dreams waiting for their time. And it made me think of a dream that is too dear to me and has traveled with me for years. This piece is about that dream of mine.😊🌷🧵🌟🏍️

Light and peace 🌕🪔

©️**Moon & Deep, 2026**

📖 This story is published under The Rabbit Note. Have a story to share? Join our community and let your words be heard. Write for us.

[embed]*The Rabbit Note *Where every voice matters medium.com

**🧵 *This story is part of “Unfinished — A Writing Challenge,”* an invitation to sit with what was left incomplete — in love, in loss, in the quiet corners of a life still being lived. Submit your story for this challenge.

[embed]🧵Unfinished — A Writing Challenge Some things were never meant to end. Some things ended before they should have. Some things are still waiting.medium.com