It’s Wednesday, our 5th day in Portugal, and so far this trip is everything I wanted and more. New places to see, carbs and lots of ice cream?.
It’s also a time for me to disconnect from everything I was working on before coming here. I’ve been running on empty for quite some time, spiritually and creatively. I guess when you’re not stopping for months, that’s bound to happen.
So these days, among all the disconnection that I am doing, I am also paying attention to stories around me. From the waiter who brings our food to the fisherman’s villages, we photograph on our way to some beach found on Instagram. If you pay attention even the palm trees will tell you a story.
And if you pay attention to the people you meet, their eyes will always tell you a story. I meet a lady today, in Albufeira. I think she was close to 80 years old. Looked 80 to me. She lives in an area called the Old Town and we were there to take some pictures.
She was sitting in front of her house with her two cats. I said hi, and told her that her cats are beautiful. I spoke in English, and she replied in Portuguese. We had no idea what the other one said but we both smiled and pointed toward the cats.
For a brief second, I wondered if she knows God, and if not, how can I tell her about Him. Suddenly I had tears in my eyes and I wanted to hug her. I smiled once more and walked away.
There’s always a story if you’re paying attention.
#portugaldiaries