Dearest Stella (unedited ver.)
So much can be said about so little. Its wonderful, I think. Especially given its what I love to do. Deciding not to decide anything for myself for the couple days of my escape wound up turning out in my favor. I booked my train ticket and went from one place to another. On the way, I seated myself next to a beautiful older lady. She welcomed me next to her with a smile on her face.
In the next two hours, I wound up having a delightful conversation with Stella. It was only once I opened up about what brought me on this trip we realized our birthdays are four days apart. Our trips, weren’t much different in intentions. She was headed off to visit bits of her heart, just as I was. Difference being, they knew she was coming- she had it all planned.
Stella, still adorning beautiful glowing skin and a heartwarming smile at 85, shared bits of her life with me. Her stories of world travel marveled me. She spoke with love of her late husband. His work with the railways took them around. Her stories spoke of adorning the world for the simplicity it spoke of; in its nakedness. New York in its simpler times, countries with nothing more to offer than their bare cultures. When commercialization didn’t speak of a nation, its uniqueness did. We exchanged thoughts of the rapid race people run. How selfish society has become; consumed with technology. “I always tell my clients, eat as much as you want…of anything which exists in its natural state. Nothing modified.” She agreed.
I mean, there’s no secret to living a long happy life. Its all there. Be happy, be loved and love what you have, and live healthy.
Love, happiness, health exists. Its all in the nakedness of life we forget. It comes and goes, doesn’t it? But the beauty of it is, its for us to peel away at the layers we hide it under. It’s all there.
Thank you Stella, for helping me unveil life in its true beauty and bareness.
*An excerpt from my upcoming book. TBR 2012.
