Beauty in Conversation

When I was 22, a few friends and I decided to backpack around Europe. It was definitely a trip of a lifetime, and one of the best decisions I ever made. Something grand happens when you travel. The world suddenly becomes so big, yet so small, you wonder why people don't hop on plans more often. When we can get outside of our worlds, we discover there's a much bigger one, just waiting to be explored.

I've been blessed to be able to travel a bit, to Hong Kong, to Guatemala, Mexico, and around the states. Each trip contains a few stories that will hopefully find their way onto these pages. But this particular Europe trip was different. It was one that we planned on our own. We saved up money. We scouted the most cost effective routes. Hours and hours of planning went in to make sure we saw every amazing sight we possibly could.

Ironically, it's not the sights that I cherish the most. When I think about specific cities we saw, I think about the conversations had between Anna, Audra and I [and usually those conversations were associated with the most amazing cuisine]. It's a little weird to me that I can vividly remember these conversations, two years later. The friendship we shared has proved more life changing than seeing the Roman Colosseum or the Mona Lisa [which is a bit underwhelming anyway] for the first time.

In a Parisan cafe, [as we ate the best crepes, and drank expensive tea], we shared our stories. Stories of where the Lord has taken us the previous few years. We were all long time friends, but somehow in the midst of routine, we hadn't stopped to intentionally ask these questions. We walked 9 miles that day, from the Eiffel Tower, to the Louvre museum, to Notre Dam, and along the river. All were incredible sights to behold, in the most romantically beautiful city I've ever stepped foot. But, I remember that Cafe. We rested our weary feet and shared life with each other.

In Geneva, Switzerland we walked around Lake Geneva with a tub of Nutella and rice cakes as a meal. We walked through parks and talked about our relationships with our parents and siblings. Antonella, a friend of Anna's mother, and her family graciously let us crash in their basement for the week. Her son and his Italian friends made us the best Risotto ever one night. As we sat around the table, we heard more stories of travel, and learned what it would have been like to grow up there. They gave us some great travel tips, and the next day we said our goodbyes. There's something fascinating about hearing stories from a time and place I know nothing about.

In Florence, we returned two nights in a row to a back alley pizza restaurant filled with locals. Best pizza ever. Best people watching, ever. And the best place for conversation. We talked about mistakes and things we would have done differently. We discussed being women. We talked about relationships, particularly to our fathers. We shared stories from our darkest moments in life until that point. We cried [or at least I did], and sat there for hours. This conversation especially, led me to discover the passion I have for young women who are searching for identity. This night in florence stirred up a big thought-process that hasn't shut down yet.

I could go on. This story would become a long chapter, so i'll save the rest for another time. As I think about this blog, and about my dreams for it to become a place for conversation, I think about those times in Europe. I loved hearing Anna and Audra's stories. I loved telling my own. I was encouraged, and I also realized that I needed to become more intentional with my friends and family.

I want that here. I want to tell my stories, but I also want you to tell yours. I want this place to be a platform to tell about significant moments in our lives, or even insignificant ones if you want. So give it a try. write a story or two, and send it my way.

Stories and lessons are meant to be shared. lets do that.

Even though i said it's not about the sights... this one was pretty cool. Here's my travel companions!