Gratitude and Acquaintances
The Value Of Gratitude
This week I depart from my usual theme of what you can do to improve your business and/or life.
That said, this is somewhat related, as we often talk here about the value of gratitude. The story I'm about to relate is to celebrate my gratitude for a chance meeting with new and very interesting friends. It's always a lovely surprise when such new connections come out of nowhere! (A couple of examples of previous articles on gratitude are here and here. Search on keyword gratitude here for more.)
A Celebration
This past Saturday, I learned from a friend who's taking a pottery class that there was to be an event to celebrate the class progress. Would I like to attend, and see what she and her fellow students had created? And of course, as is the norm for this wine community, share some live music, a glass of wine, and a bite to eat.
I gratefully accepted that invite and showed up at the appointed location and hour (actually about an hour and a half late). Surprise! The place is locked up and not a soul around. My friend had already given up and left.
I went and ran some other errands and returned a few hours later to find it still locked, but some activity evident inside. Curious! I finally gave up the whole idea and decided to go have dinner at my friend's lovely wine bar.
As I approached the wine bar, I noticed some unusual activity across the street. Turns out I was at a different entrance, around the corner, to the place I'd found locked. The event I'd been seeking was coming to a close and the musicians were packing up to leave.
Nonetheless, I was able to browse some interesting, diverse arts and crafts. I found the food and wine station still open. Having planned the day for the event, by now I was quite hungry. I bought a couple of little “slider” type sandwiches and a bottle of my favorite Cabernet Franc wine. I found a comfortable place to sit in the lovely outdoor courtyard at the back of the place and settled in to watch people, enjoy my repast, and smoke a cigar.
A Chance Meeting
I struck up a conversation with a guy and gal who appeared to be in charge of the event. I knew her by appearance but hadn't talked with her before. Then, I introduced myself to both and got their contact information. Paola soon went off to other duties. Ramiro seemed quite relaxed, so I invited him to share my wine and join me, with his 10-year-old son Carmelo.
As it turns out, Ramiro is the owner of the hotel that's the parent organization to the whole complex, and a very interesting guy. Among other things he's a very intentional enjoyer of life, and he's a poet, about to publish a book of poems. I gave him my contact information and asked to see a copy of his book. He readily agreed. We spent the next hour or so discussing the uncommon beauty and other assets of Cafayate, our lovely rural pueblo in northwest Argentina.
We struck up quite a friendship. When I left I felt newly infused with a sense of the wonderful things that can happen when one is open to such nice surprises as this. True everywhere, and Cafayate is a particularly easy place to do it because so many others have the same attitude.
The Beauty Of Life
My point in relating all this is to publicly express my gratitude for the lovely environment where I live, and for the opportunities that potentially lie at every turn. Thanks to Ramiro, Carmelo, and Paola and for all our openness to new acquaintances and friendships.
Life is beautiful and full of wonderful surprises! Even when the surprises appear less positive, such as the event seeming not to be happening, and then arriving very late, there's usually something good to come of it.
Napoleon Hill said,
“In every diversity, there's the seed of an equal or greater benefit”
I firmly believe that, and see it proven every day!
