I just had one of the most heart-warming conversations with a stranger I just met. Her name is Ariu and she is a 24 year old nail tech who drives around all of Bali to do at-home nail services. Since arriving, I’ve been browsing for where to get my nails done and none of them felt right. After looking around and even getting pamphlets from some of the nicer looking salons I’d walk past, I did a Google search and found her business. From the moment I saw her, I just knew something was ‘right.’ This girl needed to be here.
She told me she had driven about 30 minutes in the heat and I soon found out she’s due to give birth in less than a week!! She was wearing an oversized jumper and I couldn’t even tell but AS SOON AS SHE SAID THAT, I just knew there was more to her story. As she did my nails on my villa balcony, we spent the hour sharing our stories.
At first she was reserved but by the end of it, she opened up about how she doesn’t have much of a support system. As tears welled up in her eyes, I gave her a hug and comforted her with words words she seems to have not heard anybody tell her in a very long time. I remember also saying something along the lines of “I may never see you again, so I’m saying this wholeheartedly to you now incase nobody ever tells you.”
As we said goodbye, I remembered that this is why I’m here. To hear other people’s stories and to be a witness to their lives. To impart words that they need for this moment in time and to love unconditionally knowing that this may be the one chance I get to cross paths with them.
As I recorded my vlog afterwards to share the story, I found myself saying out loud, “maybe the lesson for me here is to learn to love, serve & give without expecting any return. To simply impact in ways only I can with no promise of finding out how it ever unfolds.”
So much of the culture I’m used to back home & even in business is transactional- always doing things for a measurable return and quantifying the worthiness of doing something based on what I’ll get in exchange.
But something about the transience of these experiences and meeting people knowing that I may very well never see them again is beautiful in its own way. It invites me to be more mindful, present and intentional with ever gaze, word and interaction.
It’s both grounding and humbling. For that I am grateful.
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