Surprised By Joy

 I do not choose to travel alone.  It just happens... my husband works, my friends need to get on with their lives, and my children have told me that if they have a choice, they would rather not. So I found myself exploring places like Barcelona by myself.  It was both frightening and freeing at the same time.  Because I had no one depending on me to make plans, book hotels or provide transport, I felt more comfortable 'winging' it.  I knew nothing of Barcelona before arriving, and felt no pressure to make an itinerary. I could hardly miss what I didn't know.  More importantly, there was more to be surprised by.

"I liked being half educated, you were so much more surprised at everything when you were ignorant." Gerald Durrell 

Imagine my rather confused delight in encountering both the parakeets and Gaudi's unique architecture in the city.  I could hardly wait to find out more.  Although I was traveling alone, I was not really alone.  When I needed to, I could call upon locals, maps and the internet to help me get the whole picture and Spanish experience.
I noted the strangeness that surprised me and followed it up with the joy of uncovering the mystery with new knowledge.

"Naming is to know a thing's function in the cosmos - to name is to solve mystery." Ann Voskamp
Now I can look back and find other mysteries:
1. It is funny that people would ask me for directions along the way.  I barely know where I am going myself.
2. There are gaps in my personal experience that can only be filled by others.
3. Walking leads to looking, and looking leads to walking.
4. Time stands still for me.
5. I am not stuck, I just have to find another mode of transport.
6. I have a guardian angel.
7. There is joy in the unplanned and unexpected.
8. Beauty in art, nature and music will always lift my spirit.
9. There is usually a tale of 'blood' behind the 'honey'.
10. Choosing my own path always brings me back home.

*I am aware that the title is taken from C.S. Lewis' book, "Surprised By Joy" and William Wordsworth's poem. But when I choose words to write, it is not surprising that they come from someone greater.