Too busy living
One hot and humid day in 2015, I found myself lost in Bangkok, Thailand with my friend Fiona. We left the quiet of the hotel and made our way through the bustling streets filled with vendors and shoppers to the crowded metro station.
We were standing there looking blankly at the schedule trying to figure out HOW to get where we wanted to go, when a well-dressed woman confidently approached the machine, bought her ticket and started to leave.
We stopped her, asked if she spoke English, and felt relieved when she responded that she did.
She helped us buy a ticket, then said that we were going to the same place she was and that we should just follow her.
We boarded the Sky Rail where we instantly fell under the mesmerizing charm of our new friend Elizabeth.
Encouraged by a few simple questions, Elizabeth delighted us with her adventures all over the world, her stories of parenthood and her charity work in Ethiopia. I found this sixty-some-odd year old woman hilarious and endearing.
Engrossed in conversation, we totally missed our stop. After eventually arriving to our destination, we parted ways and felt all smiley having met such a lovely human being.
We made our way around town that afternoon, and I kicked myself for not getting her contact information.
The next morning, however, luck stepped in, and we were sitting at breakfast in our hotel, when Elizabeth and her husband walked in and were seated nearby.
We were thrilled! We finished eating and invited ourselves to join them for a few minutes.
I explained that I’d been thinking about the stories she had told us the day before and that I was hoping that she would write a book.
Her husband laughed and matter-of-factly stated, “She will NEVER write a book.”
This kinda rubbed me wrong, and I was about to start my rebuttal, when he added,
“She’s too busy making great things happen to sit down and write it all down.”
We all laughed.
She gave me a business card, and I still have it taped to the wall in my closet. I smile when I see it and wonder what adventures Elizabeth is up to today. I should write and ask her.
Last week, I left you hanging in the middle of a story.
I had an idea and threw myself into it. Sometimes it’s hard to navigate time consuming projects AND have time at the end of the day to write it all down.
But...I’ll continue the story tomorrow. And I have a few more details to add now.
Cheers!
Deb