Cherish the Moments

This being the weekend and month of love, I wanted to spend some time reflecting on those I met in a moment.. but have changed my life forever. Those transformational encounters in life, we have all had those throughout our lives, and have become part of us.

In 2012, very pre-pandemic, I went to Italy to fulfill one of my dreams and visit the ruins of Pompeii and Rome. Italians are very friendly, I believe I got quite a wet kiss on the cheek from a centurion outside the Colosseum goading me for a photo but ended up giving more and me getting more than I bargained for. Rome came after Naples and Pompeii but on the train journey to Rome, revelling from ticking off the first part of my bucket list there, I sat in front of an older couple. Assigned seats, luckily I had ordered it going forwards even if my heart sank when the train jolted backwards for a split second. The couple smiled warmly and I looked across the isle to see two girls who looked almost like identical twins get on board and take their seats followed by an older female relative who quickly exited the train after a lovely goodbye, and they joined a young man who was already seated there. I started off conversation in very broken Italian (I understand it more than I speak it) and discovered their names, Ennio and Antoinella were the couple in front of me, and across the isle was Maria Pia and Maria Paparo who were indeed sisters and Marco was the lad opposite them. We somehow managed, between the girls and Marco speaking some English, to the couple speaking none.. similar to my Italian, managed to have an absolutely wonderful time, exchanged numbers and embraced good-bye wishing each other a good trip, good tour, good university, good family visit.. whatever we were going to do from that lovely afternoon onwards we did with an extra light heart-beat and a smile on our faces. I then made two friends both called Davide (Davide who worked on a cruise liner and Davidoogle as I nicknamed him - historical knowledge of the Vatican earned him that - lived in Rome).. we are still in touch, Davide rising through his career on the cruise and Davidoogle still in Rome. Then while visiting Vatican City’s Duomo when climbing the curved buildings stairwell met Jorindel and Davor two Dutch men who had been to Ted-like talks in Rome and were out sight seeing, Davor gave me a lift back to my hotel riding pillion on his rental vespa. The hotel manager was incredible telling me where was safe and where to avoid at night and left me fresh fruit in my room in case I got hungry as I had missed lunch frequently in order to sightsee.. I managed to meet up with Davor and Jorindel for dinner and a walk along the Spanish steps and I felt very safe like the universe had sent me these beautiful souls to make sure I was protected and having fun. And I did, have fun, and most of these people I am still in touch with and they make me smile at all they have accomplished since 2012.

It is so powerful and strange how we ‘collide’ and how it very much can change our lives.. like meeting a group of wonderful people while travelling and no matter how much time has gone by, we are still in touch, still raising each other‘a vibrations and wishing each other well. I have been invited by Ennio and Antoinella to visit them at the Amalfi coast and I cannot wait to see them again one day and take them up on their offer.

Life is a series of moments and chance meets and if you are not open to it, you may miss out on one of these experiences but it’ll come again or another arrives proving to be the most rewarding journey of your life! Some of those chance meets will be ones that have changed your course and you’ve gone off and married or had children with.. some have become your partner in crime and best friend, others are your lifelong business partner or band mate.

Following up from the last Kintsugi post, ‘Stability is a Rock Climber’, we are always always brought someone in our lives as our guardian angels to protect us, change out natural course in life and show us the way or simply to just listen to us when we are down.. these are the people who put a smile on life with love and bring in that extra energy you just needed that day, that phone call, ‘I have just been thinking about you’ or that msg telling you how wonderful you are. These are the little moments in life that always turn up when we most need them, and they turn our lives around or at the very least, inject happiness into your day.

Whomever you have met by chance and has become part of your life in the most profound way, give thanks to them and the universe, for sending them to you! Life would be less flavourful, less colourful without them.. so thank you, you know who you are, you have bettered me and changed me and continue to inspire me.

This morning I woke up to a TikTok msg from a friend.. a man said these words, ‘If this is on your ‘For you’ page or someone sent this to you, then this msg is for you. Butterflies can’t see their own wings. They literally can’t see how beautiful they are. But everyone else can. People are like that, especially you. That’s all’.

Now this msg is also meant for you!

Love and Light ☀️❤️