I met a man on a mountainside this week. An empty mountainside nearly 14,000 feet high in a remote area of Peru’s Sacred Valley. For me the day leading up to our introduction was pure bliss. My soul felt stirred and my spirit alive. I love my life, I love where I am, I love this land, and I love these mountains. I felt alive and I felt at home that day on the mountain. I was totally in my element, beaming with life. That’s when I met this man. We connected immediately and exchanged contact to meet when we were back in civilization. He believes he has something to learn from me- though I don’t know what I could possibly teach a man who has lived a decade plus more than me- and I believe I have much to learn from him. Those magical mountains, where we met, in Peru were the confluence of our spirits, it’s where our paths were led to each other.

New people come into our life all the time. An intense bond can form in the matter of a few days, though a connection can be felt immediately. Sometimes it’s hard to understand why- many times it’s impossible to know why until some future moment reveals the reason for the magic. I suppose it’s just a matter of living life and naturally people are going to come in and out and some we will connect with easier than others, but it feels like the most meaningful relationships are born when two paths meet at the corner of what they love most. When two paths join and become one which both parties are walking, that is the path of relationships forged in love and understanding. Trust and respect. Each of my most cherished relationships of my adult life have come from walking my own path and pursuing what I love. Meeting people who share that love.

I am excited to cultivate a relationship with my new friend and in the process explore and discover the magical reason why we met on a quiet mountainside in Peru. Think of your strongest and most cherished relationships. Where were you when you met? What were you doing at the moment? Did you feel an immediate connection? Did you wonder why this person came into your life at a particular moment?