This is a term that has only recently become a part of my vocabulary. My mom started using this word after we lost Derek, as she began reading many different spiritual books. She'd use it to describe the Owls or those perfectly timed Red Hot Chili Pepper songs. At the beginning I was like "ugh cmon mom" every time she would say it but it began to grow on me.
Katie and I first met this summer at Physio. We chatted lots and saw each other at a volleyball practice but that was it. About a month later we both started working at the same golf course and instantly became friends. I remember one of the first times we hung out we had gone for a hike and she began telling me all these stories about her life. I was able to talk openly to her about my struggles and for some reason it seemed normal. I think because she was so open it made it easier to talk about everything. I felt comfortable talking to her about Derek and sharing stories that I didn't feel like other friends would be interested in, and I never felt like she thought I was crazy if I talked about my dreams with Derek or things that I believe are signs from him.
Sometime in the summer Katie mentioned how all these things fell into place for her around the same time we met. She got a job with Heart and Stroke that gave her the purpose she was looking for, as well as the golf course job that helped remind her of her dad. It felt the same way for me because we began planning this trip and it provided me with the opportunity to start out somewhere first before volunteering with elephants (something I've always wanted to do). It was the kind of kickstart that I needed to go somewhere so far from home. She also had played university volleyball and understood my struggle to decide whether to play another year in pain just to please coaches and teammates, or to go travel and work with animals and be genuinely happy. Because of all that she has been through in her life she totally understood that there is more to life than just volleyball, and that if I wasn't happy there I shouldn't try to push through it again. I told her about the word synchronicity ("meaningful coincidences") and she loved it. We talked about getting that tattooed on our feet and decided to wait until our trip.
Just over a week ago we wandered around Hikkaduwa until we found a tattoo place. It was an interesting experience... With about 4 different people drawing on us, the tattoo artist not speaking any English, and our tuk tuk driver choosing to wait with us for 6 hours (and then hoping we'd pay him even though we told him to leave). But the tattoos are done and now there is even more of a story behind them.
Katie has a heart behind hers (for Heart and Stroke) and I got the elephant for the volunteering I'll be doing after she goes back home.
We also decided to get the Sinhalese words for "daughter" and "sister" tattooed because that is such a huge part of both of our identities. I had thought about getting a tattoo in Sinhalese because the writing is so pretty but had no idea what word I'd get. Then Katie thought of this for both of us and it seemed perfect. We lucked out that they actually wrote those words and didn't write some swears instead. Most locals now will comment on it when they see it and it's always reassuring that it says what we wanted it to say.
And the best part of all... The tattoos healed normally so I didn't have to continue stressing about that throughout the trip! Plus we have a good story for the meaning behind them as well as the process it took.
Katie and I first met this summer at Physio. We chatted lots and saw each other at a volleyball practice but that was it. About a month later we both started working at the same golf course and instantly became friends. I remember one of the first times we hung out we had gone for a hike and she began telling me all these stories about her life. I was able to talk openly to her about my struggles and for some reason it seemed normal. I think because she was so open it made it easier to talk about everything. I felt comfortable talking to her about Derek and sharing stories that I didn't feel like other friends would be interested in, and I never felt like she thought I was crazy if I talked about my dreams with Derek or things that I believe are signs from him.
Sometime in the summer Katie mentioned how all these things fell into place for her around the same time we met. She got a job with Heart and Stroke that gave her the purpose she was looking for, as well as the golf course job that helped remind her of her dad. It felt the same way for me because we began planning this trip and it provided me with the opportunity to start out somewhere first before volunteering with elephants (something I've always wanted to do). It was the kind of kickstart that I needed to go somewhere so far from home. She also had played university volleyball and understood my struggle to decide whether to play another year in pain just to please coaches and teammates, or to go travel and work with animals and be genuinely happy. Because of all that she has been through in her life she totally understood that there is more to life than just volleyball, and that if I wasn't happy there I shouldn't try to push through it again. I told her about the word synchronicity ("meaningful coincidences") and she loved it. We talked about getting that tattooed on our feet and decided to wait until our trip.
Just over a week ago we wandered around Hikkaduwa until we found a tattoo place. It was an interesting experience... With about 4 different people drawing on us, the tattoo artist not speaking any English, and our tuk tuk driver choosing to wait with us for 6 hours (and then hoping we'd pay him even though we told him to leave). But the tattoos are done and now there is even more of a story behind them.
Katie has a heart behind hers (for Heart and Stroke) and I got the elephant for the volunteering I'll be doing after she goes back home.
We also decided to get the Sinhalese words for "daughter" and "sister" tattooed because that is such a huge part of both of our identities. I had thought about getting a tattoo in Sinhalese because the writing is so pretty but had no idea what word I'd get. Then Katie thought of this for both of us and it seemed perfect. We lucked out that they actually wrote those words and didn't write some swears instead. Most locals now will comment on it when they see it and it's always reassuring that it says what we wanted it to say.
And the best part of all... The tattoos healed normally so I didn't have to continue stressing about that throughout the trip! Plus we have a good story for the meaning behind them as well as the process it took.