For a reason…

Do you ever think things happen for a reason? Certain people come into your life at the right moment. Or, you need to hear something and BOOM there it is. Or, you recall something years later and realize how it fits into the bigger picture of your life. Well, as I sit here and begin to blog, I recall a memorable experience I want to share.

A few years ago my friend Karen and I coordinated a Healthy Cooking Demonstration/Yoga Workshop for our friends. Our friend Missy Costello (a vegan chef and author of The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook) came in from LA to cook for us and pamper us. It was an amazing experience! She took us shopping at Whole Foods, taught us about foods that we were unfamiliar with and showed us some simple, yet awesome, vegan dishes. I wish she lived in AZ, I would have her do more cooking for me (hint hint MISSY- want to come visit?).

There were 4 of us who spent the weekend together. On Saturday night we went to grab food from Whole Foods and ran into a group of women much like ourselves. There were 4 of them and they were in AZ for a girls’ weekend. They were about 15-20 years older than us and had met when their spouses were working together abroad. I loved their story. Not only were they good friends despite their distance, but they kept up the tradition of going on girls’ trips together and seemed truly happy.

As I think about this story tonight, I realize it was likely not just a coincidence that we ran into them. I sit and wonder what lesson I was to get from these women. I am now fairly certain it was to show me that as a mom it is OK to spend quality time away from my family and deepen the bonds of friendship with the people I care for.

I do regret not snapping a photo of those lovely friends we saw at Whole Foods that Saturday night. But luckily I have a snapshot of them ingrained in my mind.