“Trying is always enough.” ~Patricia Briggs
Dear Universe,
Leaving Italy was sad, but knowing I was heading to London—a home away from home—made me excited.
The thing I was looking forward to most on this last leg of the trip was sharing the experience with my friend, who had never been to London. It would be up to me to take her around, show her the must-see spots and get the full London experience.
I took a special pride in this. A list was made of all the places we would go, all the London things we would do. There were things to see, traditions to follow. The list was long. Our time was short. We were on a mission.
And we attacked that mission at full force!
Not an hour was wasted. We went to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Oxford Street, Harrods, Selfridges—almost every day!, Covent Garden, Camden Town, Westminster Abbey and of course we visited my main man, Big Ben. 🙂
We dined on Thai, Chinese, Middle Eastern and Spanish food. We had a scone with jam. We ate chocolates you can only find in London. We drank Pimms. We indulged at my favorite French Café with cheese croissants and mocha coffees.
We window shopped (and shopped), people watched, rode the underground, hailed taxis, walked miles and miles, snapped photos, saw a Broadway Musical—Dirty Rotten Scoundrels—amazing!, and made the most of our time in London.
It’s no surprise we slept better than we had in recent memory.
It’s also no surprise that my friend loved London. And it made me so happy that she did.
You see, there’s something about loving something so much and then getting the opportunity to share it with someone you also love that can be nerve racking.
Questions run through your mind like: What if she doesn’t like it as much as me? What if she doesn’t enjoy? What if I have built it up so much that she’s let down?
When you love something deeply, you want those close to you to love and embrace it as well. The same can be said for the people in your life. Whenever you bring in someone new to your clan, you want everyone to feel the same way you do.
I know my friend fell in love with the city and that she already has hopes for returning. She saw the same qualities I fell for. She saw the same beauty and appeal London exudes that I see.
To me, it felt like a mission accomplished.
If she had rejected London, a small piece of my heart—the one London holds—would also have felt rejected. I realize that sounds melodramatic, but that’s how important that place feels to me.
This made me remember the importance in having an open mind. We may not always agree or understand why our loved ones choose the people in their lives, the places they seek out or the passions they pursue.
But we can try to embrace their feelings and their excitement. We can respect and trust their choices. By being open and willing, these new places, people and passions may become a part of our hearts too.
Of course there’s always the possibility they may not ever become important to us, but at least we can say we tried. Trying—genuinely trying—is sometimes the best way of showing someone you care for them.
Thank you, Universe, for a fabulous trip to London. Thank you for letting me share this place I love so much, with someone so dear to me. Thank you for the new memories and for being lucky enough to return to London again. I am so blessed.
As for the list? We didn’t quite finish everything… but hopefully there’s a next time. 🙂
With Gratitude,
A
