Brief Encounters

I really believe sometimes we meet people for a reason. As a lone traveller, I am meeting heaps (sorry the Australian has got to me). People seem quite happy to tell me their life stories... It is good they feel so comfortable with me, but each exchange can unearth a whole range of thoughts and feelings you were not aware of or too busy to consider.

On a coach journey lasting one hour I met another person and I thought for many hours after our conversation ended...

She was in her 70s. Travelling to see her daughter. She used to live in Cairns but moved to Hervey Bay to be near some of her family. Her husband died 7 years ago... her voice broke at this point... this was clearly difficult for her. He travelled to a great extent to visit family all over the world and on his return looked pale and thin. She found he had six months left to live and cursed herself for not accompanying him on his travels.

She talked of her loneliness and how painting had become a great solace to her. She revealed a canvas wrapped in thin cloth and I could see this was her creative saviour. Life is too short...... Live, Love, Travel, Experience..... We all need this creativity in our lives. Why should we insist we simply do not have the time?