It was just supposed to be a brief walk to charge my dead phone while we had a window of time. And the next thing I knew we were driving through water.
Deidra and I walked the wet gritty back to the house with computers hanging in bags over our shoulders so I could plug in my phone with a borrowed charger. We met Marcus in the kitchen. He was opening pantry doors to find a glass, while his wife took a nap. He asked if we were interested in driving into Leakey, the little town closest to Laity Lodge.
I looked at Deidra while I catalogued the schedule in my mind. Thinking about the next session and conversations we might miss at the retreat if were gone too long. I let her decide.
She said she was game. I put on my tennis shoes.
We drove through the canyon floor of limestone covered in the Frio like water under cellophane. Pulled up to Leakey Mercantile, where time turned her head and laughed.
Deidra tried on cowboy hats. I scoured aisles of candy cigarettes and cans of green beans the size of tires. Marcus pointed out products on the wooden shelves that were made in Texas.
We stacked salsa, chips and ice cream on the counter under the smile of long-haired string beans wearing hunting caps and faded t-shirts. They held eye contact a bit longer than the customers before us.
I wore my nametag the whole time, forgot I had it on.
Marcus stopped at an overlook on the way back to take in the panoramic view of the 1900-acre ranch in the Hill country where we steeped in peace for three nights, storytelling about the generosity of the landowners as we snapped photos through the chain link.
When he discovered we hadn’t seen Blue Hole yet, we jumped in the car and kept driving. I looked at my watch. That’s when I let go of the schedule to see all of this:
Because sometimes you have to let go of agendas, to-do lists, schedules, and expectations you place on yourself in order to receive the gifts He picks out with you in mind.
And to think I almost missed unwrapping the spontaneous memory I will hold close to my heart for years to come. I’m so glad Deidra said yes.
Do you have a hard time letting go of your schedule and lists to accomplish? How do you respond to unexpected “interruptions”?
This is the third post in the series 31 Days of Letting Go. You can read the collective here. If you are a writer, I invite you to link up your post on the topic in the comments on Friday of each week so we can glean from your perspective. Subscribe to receive the series in your inbox or feed by adding your address in the side bar under Follow Redemptions Beauty.