My chance encounter with a stranger

One of my unfortunate symptoms of Lyme Disease is waking up at 2 to 4:00 a.m. everyday. It is one of my more frustrating symptoms that I hope will be resolved sooner versus later.

Anyway, while we were in Mexico over Thanksgiving week, my usual 4 a.m. waking would leave me the choice of "finding something to do as to not wake everyone else up" or just lying there, hoping to fall back asleep (this usually does not happen).

So every morning I would throw on some clothes, grab some books to read or whatever, and head out to explore. Oh...and I never forgot my camera.

What is so interesting, and quite comical is that they have these birds there called "zanates" that all gather at sunrise and sunset to do what, I'm not sure. Have a twice daily family bird meeting to chirp about the tasks at hand? All I know is that they were LOUD. At 5p.m. people would all be mingling about, swimming, hangin' out, and all we would hear were these very loud birds, all gathered above our heads in the various trees at this particular area of the resort. They were so loud that it was hard to hear each other talk. It cracked me up every time, for some reason.

Well, this also happened at sunrise. So on my early morning wakings as I would begin my exploring, I'd be greeted by the zanates, and I'd chuckle to myself, and say "Good morning" back to them. There is just nothing that compares to waking up to the sounds of nature.

The first morning of my wanderings, I only saw a few workers getting ready for the day. I also saw a man about my dad's age (late 60s) hangin' around and I asked him if he was also an early morning riser, too. He said he was, and that he was trying to find the best "spot" to check his internet. I smiled at him, and he continued on.

Now the next morning, it was a tad bit rainy outside so I had to sit in the lobby, making sure I picked the perfect spot right by the door so I could see the sun come up, hear the zanates, and feel the breeze on my face. I figured I might as well order coffee from the front desk. Room service very graciously delivered this completely filled tray containing everything I needed for my morning coffee - It was heavenly.

And then along comes the fellow I met the morning before.

I invited him to pull up a chair and join me. He seemed quite pleased to do so.

His name was Bill from upstate New York and I realized that: everyone has a story. Sometimes you just have to ask the right questions because people do want to tell it, most of the time.

I asked him why he was there (a nephew's wedding) and I shared why we were there - just some small talk. Then he began to talk about his life. How he grew up in the military and traveled a lot. He went on to tell me how his wife, who was an alcoholic, had left him and his 2 children when they were little. That, even to this day, there were still much resentment towards her and the "disease." How he was enjoying life with his "lady friend" for the past 8 years. He seemed to be really enjoying his retirement.

I talked some about my history and also my experience with alcoholism in my family. I felt like we really understood each other's journey: the pain of lost relationships, the struggle of living with someone with an addiction, and how much it deeply affects generations. I had several "A-ha moments" while talking to Bill.

We talked for about 2 hours until his daughter finally found him. By this time, the sun had already risen, the zanates had set out to complete their daily tasks, and my coffee was way beyond cold. I figured by this time, my family was getting up and ready to face the day. It was time to say good-bye to Bill.

Friendly pleasantries were exchanged, and he and his daughter left. Later on I saw him with his family at breakfast. He stopped by our table for introductions. He smiled and said, "It looks like you have a really nice family." And off he went...

I have reflected on that chance meeting with my stranger named Bill from upstate New York many times since we've been home, trying to figure out what I was suppose to have learned from him.

You see, I don't believe in "luck" or "coincidence" so I knew there had to be a lesson or lessons I was suppose to have learned from him. Or maybe what he needed, was to learn something from me? You never know what "a chance encounter with a stranger" might really mean. God tells us to never forget to entertain strangers because you might never know when you are actually entertaining angels.

All I do know is: that God must have been trying to teach me a "lesson" that He knew I would not have learned any other way, except through, maybe?, a "Bill from upstate New York"?

Hmm? ... it sure gives you something to think about, at least it does me. You just never know what "lessons" you are to be learning, or teaching, from strangers along the way ...