I’ve been here in Cambodia going on 6 days and I have not been moved to write. I wrote about every couple of days during my last few weeks in Thailand. I’m just getting over a chest cold that always takes longer to get over then anyone would like. And I’m enjoying this gorgeous villa here in Siem Reap that is providing me all the comforts of home as I make my way every day traveling to the many ancient Angkor temples in the area.
I’ve entered into my 6th month of traveling through Asia. As much as I want to use the cliché’ term, time fly’s when you are having fun, that doesn’t quite explain it. I’ve wanted to do this kind of traveling for a long time and didn’t have the courage to do it until just recently. When the application for my sabbatical was approved, it was hard to believe. I even wondered if I should cancel it and just go back to work like any normal person working a regular job. Uh…. NO! That was just fear talking.
My last couple of days in Thailand was fraught with the sadness of grief as I spent those last 2 days with my newfound sister from another mother, Kay, after 10 days at her farm and several more at her home cooking together. We seemed to really see eye to eye on a lot of personal values and core principles that kept us talking for hours together. Now it was time to say so long…
I had to say goodbye so many times during these last six months. Some of the goodbyes were easy, and there were others that were hard. This one was one of the hardest. I checked out of my Airbnb and was hanging out in Bangkok waiting for my 8pm flight to Cambodia, Kay wanted to escort me to the airport. Kay shows up at the coffee-shop with a bag full of food. Sticky buns, egg sandwiches, Thai milk tea and spiced peanuts. These were things during previous days she remembered in our conversations that I really liked, and she spent the morning cooking for me. She arrived, and I was in tears. Joy and sadness all bundled up in those drops of water coming out of my eyes. I was being gifted such quantity of love that it was hard for me to even hold. This is a great example of “Love in action”.
One of the biggest joys I’ve had is meeting people and settling into their culture, homes, family and their lives. I’ve been privy to conversations with people that most keep to themselves or only share with their beloveds… developing a closeness and intimacy, only to have to say so long and not knowing when or if we will see each other again. My heart expands and then, sadly, I must leave. I’ve had this happen many times during the last six months. It’s exhausting. I’m exhausted. I’m tired. That is OK. It needs to be OK. I can recharge.
Seeing where family, culture and community meet cooking has opened up my eyes to the fundamentals of how we all are nourished around the table and through the entire process of meal preparation. There is no small part that is being played, even if you are only sitting around the table eating the food, that is enough. Love is the central ingredient… period… hard stop!
So after about 6 months of creating the life I want during this travel, I find myself being a bit guarded and wanting to be alone to recharge, sleep and listen to what the whispers in the Angkor temple mysteries are telling me. I’ve already completed what I said I would for my sabbatical… and then some! The thought of entering into another family’s realm is not appealing at the moment and I don’t have to do that. After making my way through Siem Reap and Phnom Penh I am hoping to land on the beaches on the island of Koh Rong for some unplugging that I wanted to do in Thailand but got wonderfully distracted. Shall see what happens.
Some things I am understanding a little deeper about myself and about others. Acts of service are my “love language”, which I knew already. Call it “love in action”, “love is action” … but I’d like to also call it … “love is a verb”. There are people who have a hard time expressing love, affection and appreciation verbally and by doing acts of service for others expresses their love to them. The quotes on this page says it all. Definitely give Andrea Gibson a listen below…
Love is action… not just a bunch of words…
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