Saturday, July 08, 2006
It’s a small world after all.
Florida… you’d think I’d be excited to be stopping by Florida for the beaches. I’m not a beach-person. Florida had the attraction that could make me stop in my tracks, anytime… right in the heart of Orlando… the biggest of the happiest places on earth… DISNEYWORLD. BUT, Orlando proved to be the happiest place even outside the big world of Disney.
We didn’t go to as many places. One house to another, one shopping mall to outlet store to street mall—and I wasn’t a shopper. There was one stop at the beach and a day at Disney—tried to squeeze in 4 resorts in less than 12 hours—oh so little time. But I was happiest here. Probably because the few places we went to gave us time to really get to know our hosts. We ate meals together, went around together, played cards—or foozball for others—together, even sang videoke! It was fun, with peals of laughter highlighting each tiresome day.
There were even quiet conversations—sometimes, these seal friendships and close the gaps of built by differences. We shared stories, insights, ideas… there was time to really spend with these people who were strangers at first—friends in the end.
It was difficult to say goodbye. I found myself close to tears, saying goodbye to titos and titas who for 6 days were surrogate dads and moms. It was an easy transition from guest, to friend, to daughter among people who really showed their thoughtfulness and love for people they barely knew. But, more than as a daughter who needed constant care, I felt like the adult daughter who wanted to give something back—for it was time to take care of them. I would want to give back, attempt to achieve at least a pinch of that love they gave. Someday soon, in that magical kingdom of Orlando, I will go back… if I JUST BELIEVE.-26april-3may2006
tweenkies_1106 at 12:04 PM