The Songs That Stay With Us
We made the trek to a music festival in Lisbon this weekend, and I could not have prepared myself for how emotional I would feel.
Cyndi Lauper was one of my favorites when I was a kid. I loved that she was quirky, weird, colorful, fun, and completely herself. I listened to her albums over and over, and there was something about her music that made me feel less alone.
I didn’t always feel like I fit in as a kid. My brother didn’t either. We were not really accepted for our beliefs, except by our close friends, and her music made me feel like being different was okay.
So standing in a huge crowd in Lisbon, surrounded mostly by Portuguese people of all ages who somehow knew every song, was unexpectedly moving. I kept thinking about the kid version of me listening to those songs and how strange and beautiful it felt to be hearing them all these years later with thousands of people who felt connected to them too.
How Did This Become My Normal?
Sometimes I look around at my life here and think, “how did this become my normal?” 😊
On Friday morning, we started the day having breakfast with friends in Madrid. We spent the day watching short films and ended with our friend’s award-winning screening, with his cast and crew calling in from Oklahoma City to answer questions in front of the audience.
Then we jumped in a cab, rushed to Atocha, and took the train back to Sevilla. The train left on time but somehow arrived 20 minutes late, which would not have been a big deal except we had 45 minutes to get to a 60th birthday party on a boat.
And you can’t be late for a boat party.
The Gift of Being Understood
Our friends from back home visited us this past week, and it was fantastic.
They were two of our closest friends when we moved away. We still keep in touch, but life keeps moving for all of us. We’ve all made new close friends in our own places, but when we see each other, it feels like no time has passed.
Having them here was so special. There had been several close calls over the years, but they had never been here to visit us in Sevilla. One of my favorite things about people visiting us from back home is getting to show them why we chose this life. It’s one thing to explain it when we visit. It’s another to walk through Sevilla together, eat the food, see the beauty, experience the lifestyle, and meet the community we’ve built here.
The Way People Find Each Other
I’m home in Sevilla now, and I keep thinking about the way people find each other.
One of my favorite moments of the whole trip happened at a tea farm in Taiwan.
The tour started with just Calvin. He and his parents run an organic tea farm, and he radiated warmth. I liked him immediately.
Not From Here, Not From There
There’s a song my son sings that has stayed with me.
“No soy de aquí, no soy de allá.”
I’m not from here, I’m not from there.
We all tear up every time he sings it. There’s something in those lyrics that captures a feeling a lot of people carry, especially when life has stretched across countries and cultures.
Finding Community
I’m writing this from Da Nang, and I’m a little stunned by the connections I’ve made here.
The day I arrived, I came straight from the airport, dropped my bags, and headed to a digital nomads event. The first people I met were a couple I clicked with immediately. We’ve gotten together several times since then, and we’re already talking about meeting up again this time next year and even them coming to see us in Sevilla next spring.
Since then, I’ve gone to a freelancers gathering and met more lovely, creative, like-minded people from all over the world. I’ve had a few really moving, empowering Saboteur Discovery Sessions that have inspired me as much as they’ve helped them.
