Grand Moments Await You if You'll Just Take Time to Experience Them
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Travel sometimes gives you beautiful views, but occasionally, it gives you something much more rare: a moment in time you know you’ll never forget.
I began chatting in the chocolate shop with a man named Andreas and he asked if I had plans for my last night in Quito.
I didn’t.
He simply asked, “White or red?”
“White or red what?” I said.
“Wine.”
I laughed and said, “Red, of course.”
Since I was traveling alone, I messaged my tour guide, Stephania Nicole, to ask about him. She knew the chocolate shop and the local community. She said immediately, “Oh yes—that’s Andreas. He’s a very good guy. I’m 1000% sure he’s a good person. You should go.”
So I did. Later that evening Andreas picked me up in an old, but well-maintained Land Cruiser. From the bikes that had clearly been removed from the back, it was obvious he loved the outdoors. He joked that he almost invited me on a bike ride earlier.
I would have said yes.
Instead, he drove us up a mountain to a lookout above the city. He parked, pulled out the bottle of wine, and led me to the edge of the lookout where there was a small hole in the fence. We carefully climbed through and sat on a narrow ledge overlooking the city.
The drop was about 150 feet, but the view was unforgettable. You could see the entire city of Quito glowing below. The mountains surrounded us in their glorious, sunlit beauty.
We passed the bottle back and forth as we talked about life, freedom, and how we had each arrived at this particular place in time.
At one point he said something that surprised me.
“I called you,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“I saw you earlier in the courtyard. I told the universe—I want that girl to come into my shop.” He said he noticed my energy before he even saw my face. Then he watched me try on jackets in the leather store and waited for me to come back.
And eventually, I did.
Later in the conversation he looked at me and said something that stayed with me.
“Elida, you don’t need anyone. What you’re missing is a small piece inside yourself that only you can find.”
He paused.
“You are such a bright light. And bright lights need hugs along the way. Can I give you a hug?” We stood up and embraced. It was one of those simple, human gestures that somehow felt overwhelmingly momentous.
Eventually it was time to go. I had a flight to Brazil the next morning. Before we left, he told me about his life as a farmer and a single father, raising his seventeen-year-old son. His hands were rough and calloused from years of working the land. He loved the soil, the plants, but most of all he really loved his country and his people. He loved his life.
I don’t know if I’ll ever see Andreas again, but I will never forget that night above Quito. Sometimes kindness shows up in unexpected places.
In a chocolate shop.
In a bottle of wine shared on the edge of a mountain.
In a conversation.
When you’re feeling lost, look around. There may be a significant moment waiting to happen. A friend to meet. A conversation to have.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.
If this story touched you, I’d love to invite you to continue the journey.
You can:
• Follow along as I travel and share stories from around the world
• Support this journey and the writing that comes from it
• Or join one of my upcoming classes focused on freedom, courage, and creating a life filled with meaningful experiences. Because life isn’t just about the places we go. It’s about the moments—and the people—we meet along the way.
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