They say that there are no coincidences in life.
The truth is, that I met the D almost nine years before any disclosure! [Refer to for D-Disclosure https://community.thriveglobal.com/stories/11148-d-disclosure]
It was an international conference where, official program aside, the main business of any delegation are the relationships formed.
At the time, I was probably too hung up on another boy to open my heart to anyone else, yet as starry eyed as I was, when I looked back several years (and two boyfriends) later, I realised that I would not have known about that conference was it not for my encounter with that boy. The connections formed at that conference opened my world, creating my social base who helped my smooth transition to life in Canberra (one became my housemate) – and still some of my closest friends. This was not only because I took that trip, risking a legal internship by taking leave at the height of the GFC, but because I first dared to love.
Grateful for the love surrounding me and what was a beautiful chapter of my life in Canberra, 6 years later I returned to Perth to work with my first client, a young entrepreneur importing an innovative consumer goods to the food service industry in Western Australia, looking to grow Australia wide, when I received a message from the conference’s most beautiful looking man (who we now as the D) inviting me to visit his country.
Of course, the invitation from the D itself was innocent – I travel frequently and have friends all over the world – of course I would one day visit his country – I plan to visit as many places in the world as possible (and impossible)!
Curiously, I’d had limited conversation with him when we first met, over drinks, and a crazy night out at the conference yet he had noticed that I was promoting a product that his company too distributed in his country – the second largest market for the product.
While I gave it little weight at the time – I had received occasional messages over the three years that followed – across cities (perhaps testimony to the power of social media and personal branding) – once while I was in New York, always friendly although sometimes suggestive and mostly rebuffed by me.
My heart was set on New York City or an international consulting project as soon as I finished my MBA – yet three years later, an two elective units of my MBA to go, I found myself back in my home town of Perth – in my mind, I always thought I would return to Perth to “settle.” No matter how ambitious you are, life is pretty simple when you break it down to what really drives us: love.
“We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us,” said artwork on the wall in the yoga studio’s bathroom.
Why was I waiting? On a subconscious level I wondered if I was holding on to some traditional notion of finding “the one” in Perth?!) Surely not – I am smart and motivated – yet the idea bothered me on some level – could this be holding me back from the path that was waiting for me?
When I reflected, maybe the D’s beautiful soul came into my life to help me to let go of the life I had planned embark on a new adventure, to tell a new story.
“You chose life,” said the D.
It was as though by hearing about and watching him walk his path, his guiding light inspired me to take my next step.
Open your heart and dare to love without the fear of getting hurt because something beautiful will always be created.
Who has inspired your path and why? Or what has transpired from your love?