The Art of Discovering

Go away, explore, take some time, and just get lost for awhile love.

I could smell the ocean breeze near by and hear the sound of people chattering from the city around me. I could feel wind brush against my skin and taste the deep flavors of red wine on my tongue. And around me I could  see a view that not even a picture can describe and it is experiences like these that leave me in awe.

It was my last evening in La Jolla, California, a quaint wealthy city in the coast of San Diego, and I had been involved in wedding activities all weekend. I had a craving to go and actually take in the city for myself. So I landed in this charming wine cafe that overlooked the cove.

I believe it is the unexpected that catches our memory and creates the experience to be something more than just an outing. While I was sitting on my chair looking out to sea I had a mother and daughter sitting next to me. It was one of those conversations that are worthwhile not just small talk. The daughter had shared how she was a nurse at a local children oncology hospital and that ever since she was young she had felt a need to do this. Her mother lived all the way across the U.S. in Virginia and was visiting. I'm not a parent ( other than to my dog if that even remotely counts) but we talked about how as a parent it is a struggle learning how to let go and just be truly happy for your children even if that means they live across the country just doing what the love. Selfless love-is what I call this.  Although I lost my mother a few years back this really hit home with me as I recall my mother encouraging me to travel to Italy for a year after high school . Like so many parents that don't want their kids to leave home I am sure she could have pressed me to stay near by but instead she did the opposite and for me that is something truly beautiful.

My second encounter was with a couple of girls to my right. One of them had just gotten married to her high school sweetheart and her best friend was sitting next to her celebrating with some wine. The newly wed shared with me how she had gone to school with her now husband and as so many do they parted ways and it was years later until they met again. She was in Chicago and happened to pass him and just as simple as that- they reunited. We exchanged talk about relationships how coincidentally it is meeting people in life. A world where timing is everything, how two people meant to be together meet is something greater than mere coincidence.

As they left and went on I stayed looking at the sun beginning to set as my wine slowly disappeared as well. Until I met someone close to home. This woman who sat alone and was quiet a first and asked me about what I was eating. Slowly we began to discuss what led us to La Jolla this past weekend. Where as her trip was based on business mine was due to family. Ironically enough she was from the good state of Texas. There's something about that state that once you've lived their it's as if people have an automatic connection. So we chatted about traveling and places we'd been until the sun had disappeared completely.

So as this may all be mindless chatter to some, I wanted to share about this evening at the cafe because it was one filled with discovery and authentic connection-of which I'm sure we could all use more of. Many times I don't feel the need to have to be with someone or go somewhere with another person, I challenge you to do the same once in awhile. Because you never know who you'll meet or the conversations you'll have with what appears to be the most random strangers but in turn become inspiring notes in a collection of experiences.

So like I said earlier: Go away for awhile, try something you've never done by exploring, take some time by yourself, and get utterly lost for awhile love.