It has been my fortune and pleasure to be able to travel to almost every corner and in between in my country. My footsteps have connected with a variety of cultures, ethnicities, waters, and lands.
Though I have at times traveled with companions, I cherish the sacred solo journeys I have experienced during my life. Solo treks feed my soul for a multitude of reasons. First, I get to decide where to go, how to get there, and how long to stay. Secondly, I do not have to compassionately compromise with a fellow traveler. Please know I can compromise and have , and probably will again, but the lone wolf in me relishes the freedom solo journeys quench my ever so thirsty need to hit the road for unknown vistas!
Recently I visited an artsy Virginian town where in an afternoon discovered a metaphysical book store, a garden-gift shop, and an organic grocery-eatery business. Within the walls of each establishment I enjoyed heartfelt conversations with the shopkeepers. As with all connections I continue to make in my travels, each offered me their slant on the atmosphere of their charming city. None of the three offered any negative comments regarding this quaint and peaceful place. I felt as welcomed as I would had I been if visiting one of my long lost cousins. The Bookstore owner shared how he and his wife were about to take an Autumn trip to the mountains of North Carolina. He and I also had memorable discussions of Shakespeare, Ancient Egyptian Mystery Schools, and the advantages of living just an hour away from a bigger city. At the garden-gift store I enjoyed warm conversation with the owner about how she came to leave her long tenure of living in Washington, D.C. and her move to this smaller locale. Her story was filled with a mystical adventure colored with her inspirational willingness of listening to the messages delivered by friends and acquaintances , encouraging her to face her fears and move in a new life direction! My stop in the grocery-eatery included a wonderful cup of organic Sumatra coffee , breathing in the pleasures of aromatic soaps and lotions, and listening as the cashier described herbal and homeopathic cures for sale from local practitioners. Each of the exchanges between the strangers and myself granted me a sense of warm hospitality and a smile within my heart!
On the way back to my abode, I savored a brief journey on the Blue Ridge Parkway into the Shenandoah National Park. I had a passing thought that if I drove a few miles perhaps on my way back I would just make it in time for Sunset. Stopping at several pull offs, I shared breathtaking moments with a few fellow travelers in the beauty of Skyline Drive. Just before I encountered the wonderment of that spectacular sunset I was hoping to find, a pair of young deer crossed in front of me, pausing momentarily to offer their gentle gaze.
As I stood in awe of the orange and pink pastels the Creator Sky-artist designed , a couple of young women stopped and we shared nature’s moment . We all remarked on how timing is everything!
Once again I received validation from the Universe that connections and sharing with a stranger or with a familiar face prove I and you are never alone in this world that is not so big….when you travel and explore.
Jaguarwind 