photo of the illuminating Denise by the illuminating Jess
Today is my bosom friend Denise's birthday. Oh how I would love to write posts for each of my sweet friends on their birthdays - if only that were possible - but I was excited to write this post today because I have a somewhat strange, non-traditional and non-material teeny bit of a gift for Denise that I wanted to share.
She doesn't know I am doing this and when she reads this she will be finding out what it is as well. Which kind of makes it fun, yes? But before I get into that I wanted to share that I chose this particular photo of her that Jessamyn magnificantly captured because I love her smile. I always tell her she has a Kate Winslet smile and well, need I say more? I know I am making her blush right now so I will just continue...
Denise is one of those friends that inspires me to be better. If you know her, and/or read her blog, you know that I am not the only who thinks so. She has cultivated an amazing community of friends and thousands of readers who visit her site each day seeking inspiration, truth, spirit and a soft place to land. She makes the world a better place just by being authentically who she is. She teaches me how to be a better friend in all of my friendships.
She recently wrote a guest post over at Alex's beautiful Gypsy Girl's Guide that moved me and planted a seed. You can read her beautiful words here. Her story of that time in her life is about the feeling of oneness she experienced on a trip to visit a Romanian Orphanage. She had shared with me years ago about her time there but for some reason reading her words and the story of connection in her post stirred something deep within.
For me it brought to the surface thoughts of empathy, compassion for others, the romance of the rain and a similar experience I had of dancing in the street, the power of our stories and the truth that we are all connected. All of which Denise embodies, lives and shares bravely and openly.
It also brought to the surface deep longing. I too want to have an experience like she shared helping others and even moreso, wish for my girls to experience this kind of soul work, this kind of oneness, this kind of wonderment and wanderlust and connection that may change the way they view the world simply by being of service.
My Life List is sacred to me and something I am actively pursuing with the time I am given here. Up until today I had 99 items on this list with the idea that perhaps there may, or may not, be one more added to round it off to 100. I told myself at the time that I would know if there needed to be one more added.
Reading Denise's words that day had me knowing immediately what #100 on my Life List would be:
#100 Travel with my family to an area in need where we can help as a means to cultivate empathy, understanding and oneness.**
Where will we be going? I have no idea. India? Africa? Romania? I don't know, I am open to wherever we are guided and will trust it's where we need to be.
When will this happen? I don't know the answer to that either but I do know it won't happen for quite a few years from now when both of my girls are old enough and at a place where they can really take it all in. Since I have no idea what our lives will look like years from now and have no way of knowing if there will be resistance or anticipation from either one of them, myself or Jimmy regarding a decision I am making for us, I can only trust that it will happen when it's meant to happen. In the meantime I have some years ahead to research and figure out all the how's of it all. Like the money part for instance. Perhaps years from now the money part will be a non-issue, yes? Let me manifest that. ; )
Before Jimmy and I had children we would talk about what we thought that vision might look like for us. We dreamed of exposing our children to cultures outside of their own, to travel as a family and to experience traditions, lifestyles and rituals outside of the United States. Now that they are finally here with us that vision has remained. Our wish is for them, and us, to drink in the beauty of the world while also allowing the suffering we will ultimately witness on this journey to perhaps further ignite a spark within to be the change we wish to see.
I know this is a lot of big lofty talk for something that isn't going to even happen for many more years to come. Honestly, it feels a bit weird to write even. But the simple fact that one of my dearest friends provided me with the last item on my life list is a symbolic gift to me that I wanted to document and to share with her today, the day she was born.
Denise, I hope you see this dream as a gift to you and from you. I hope when this item is being crossed off my list years from now that we still know each other in this life and Mia and Isabella can share their story while snuggled up to their Soul Auntie Boho.
We de la Rosa's love you, baby. I love you, baby. You are a queen in all lives. Happy Birthday. May your day be filled with Kate Winslet smiles and flowers in your dreads.
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**When I say this, I want to be very clear that my intention here is to help and it is not something I am just romanticizing. As much as I loved reading Denise's story, I hold no expectation that I will be dancing in the streets in the rain although I must admit that I do expect to be changed on some level having had the experience.
I believe physically helping children in some way simply by seeing them and being with them is an experience that Isabella, Mia, Jimmy and myself would all benefit from as a family and as individuals. It is my wish to make a tiny difference in the life of a child. I would prefer a group situation and perhaps working with a secular organization rather then a religious focused mission trip with a focus on being with children.
If you are reading this and know of a group that organizes short-term trips, or have had an exerience yourself you wish to share, please contact me. I would love to talk with you more.