This past week has been full of moments when I have been able to look at my life from outside of myself. Perhaps it started as I sat in an Argentinian winery last Saturday schmoozing with men from all of the world who come to Mendoza every year to take stalk of their wineries that they own here. One man, who is a Urologist and lives across the lake from me in Grand Haven, Michigan warmly invited me and anyone I wanted to come to MI and stay with his family and go to his winery and enjoy the fruits of life. I asked if he had any single sons and he sadly said they were happily married, but if he had a third, he would be mine. We ate and drank and laughed and I learned how to drink homemade grappa from a Brasilian man. I sat there thinking, man, this is the life. How lucky am I?! And you better believe that any of us in the Chicago-Michigan area are going to show up at the winery!
Then the next day, we were bused up to the top of the Andes and white water rafted and sun bathed and enjoyed the magnificent scenery and air. It is moments such as these that I felt as though I had been lifted out of my body and was happily watching it float by on the river with the raft. But I mean, can life get any better when the sun is shining and you're sitting in the Andes with good friends and good food?
After a full weekend of adventure I had the opportunity to spend the day by myself in Mendoza, a happy, tranquil city about 15 hours North East of Buenos Aires, right on the Chilean border. I walked through this huge park for about 4 hours enjoying the trees, the grass, the flowers, and a huge lake. I sat reading, writing, thinking, and praying for some time and the theme of blessedness and luckiness continually swept over me. Is this really my life?! Someone pinch me!
And today, on my 27th birthday, I have been overwhelmed with love and gratefulness. Friends from all over the world have sung to me in multiple languages and I seriously couldn't be more blessed. I spent the evening doing a little birthday shopping and I went into a store and the guy asked me if I were Brasilian because my Castellano (the form of Spanish spoken here) is mixed with Spanish. I said no, I was from the States and somehow I told them (a young guy and his uncle) that I was Armenian and Italian. Turns out the young guy is Armenian and the uncle is Italian! It is such a great combination! And, apparently the Gostanians in the Argentinian government are not well liked. So after them handing me Armenian newspapers in Castellano, the kid (Eduardo) invited me to come hang out with the young Armenians on Friday nights. After exchanging information, I was so thankful for the hospitality and openness of this culture. And perhaps the guy was hitting on me, but I choose to think of it as him wanting to make me feel welcome and meet "my people." I hope to hang out with them as I desperately need to practice my Spanish more and I would love to really get to know Argentinos and Armenians.
This week has made me feel alive and happy and blessed. Could I really have it any better? I don't think I could. I am loved by friends and family all over the world and I have more love for all of you than I could possibly express. And I am on this incredible journey and today I have 27 blessed years behind me and hopefully another 90 to go! So thanks for being a part of my journey. I truly am the luckiest girl alive.
1 comment:
Feliz cumplianos! I'm so happy to hear of all your adventures, the wonderful people you've been meeting, and the blessings you've had. And, I'm expecting an invite to this winery when you get back :) Love ya!
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