“Picked it up in one of a dozen books I’ve read trying to figure myself out,” I say. Then to Chloe, “In the introductions, didn’t you say you were living in Nepal?”
“I am, but I grew up in the States.”
“Where?” KT and I say in unison.
“Northern California,” she says. “What about you two?”
“I’m in LA,” I say.
“I’m a flyover state girl,” KT says. “Michigan.”
The little bungalow is alive with the sound of wind and rain and distant thuds and crashes that could only be the main resort receiving a real pounding.
I stand and look around. “Do you know whose room this is?”
When both women say no, I open closets and drawers, looking for anything that might help us ride out this storm. “I’m going to be completely inappropriate and scour this place. I’ll apologize later.”
“I’d love a first aid kit or tape,” Chloe says. “She’s going to need real stitches, but I want to create some butterfly stitches until we can get her to the hospital.”
I find dry clothes in the drawer, a stash of granola bars, and instant oatmeal in the suitcase in the closet, along with a first aid kit. In the toiletries, I find ibuprofen. “Does anyone know how long these cyclones last?”
“Anywhere from two to twelve hours or so,” Chloe says. “I’ve been in a couple of hurricanes, but not this bad. I’ll bet this storm jackknifed. The weather changed really quick.”
I lay my stash on the box spring. I pull out Band-Aids and antiseptic and ibuprofen and push them toward Chloe. “I’m going to kiss the woman who is staying in this room when I find her.”
I decide we all need a distraction from the terror outside these walls. “Let’s do some storytelling, speed-dating style. You know, background, family, what
you do for a living, why you came on this retreat. Oh, and what your biggest dream is. You first, KT.”
“Okay, well, I was raised by a single dad. My mom ran off when I was a baby. He was a mechanic, owned a car repair shop. I had a wrench in my hand by the time I could walk. When I wasn’t in school, I was at the shop with him. We were tight. He was an amazing dad. He dived as a hobby, and he taught me. I’ve been diving since I was eight, certified since I was ten. Mostly in the Great Lakes as a kid, but a lot of different places since I’ve been on my own.
“When my dad got sick—lung cancer, he was a smoker—I ran the repair shop and went to school, mostly online, to get my marine engineering degree. He passed away three years ago. I sold the shop and the house and took a job with a cruise ship company as a mechanic. I came to this retreat because I’m in between assignments, and I’ve been really missing my dad. I live on whatever cruise ship I’m working on and explore the ports of call when I get a break.”
“That explains a lot,” I say, riveted. “Biggest dream?”
She smiles dreamily up at the ceiling. “I haven’t really thought about it, but maybe dive in every ocean—sans hurricanes and cyclones.”
“Very cool,” I say. “What about you, Chloe?”
“My story is similar to KT’s to some degree. My mom ran off with another guy when I was young. But my dad was a drunk and lived in the bottle, so I was raised by my older sisters, who both bailed as soon as they were eighteen, leaving me alone to take care of my dad.
“When I was old enough, I followed their lead and became a nomad, searching for healing. I mean, I didn’t know that’s what I was looking for, and I sure as shit fell into my share of potholes, but the universe eventually guided me toward spirituality and amazing people who have helped me heal from the abandonment. I’ve traveled all over, and I love seeing different countries and meeting so many amazing people. I’ve been basically training myself in spirituality and meditation and even personal coaching. What started off as a need of my own has turned into a passion I love to share. I’m on this retreat to help other people find peace and meaning and to continue learning myself.”
“So you really walk the walk,” I say, moved by these women’s stories.
She laughs. “Every day is a struggle. I have to constantly bring myself back to my practice. It’s never a straight path, and I often find myself slipping into negativity, fear, even anger. But what I’ve learned over the last five years has drastically improved my life, my outlook, and my happiness. I’ve come to deeply believe that everything happens for a reason and wherever we are in life is exactly where we’re meant to be. I’ve cultivated patience and acceptance and compassion—with myself and others. I’m legit terrified of where I’d be without the grounding beliefs I’ve developed over the years.
“My biggest dream? Maybe the whole Eat, Pray, Love thing, you know, share everything I’ve learned that’s helped me. Someday I’d like to spread what I know through every country.”
“Wow,” I say. “That’s pretty hard to compete with.”
“No competition,” Chloe says. “Anything that pulls one person forward benefits everyone. What about you, Laiyla?”
I wince. “Well, after your stories, my troubles seem petty compared to what you two have been through.”
Chloe shakes her head, her hands working quickly to tear off the adhesive from the Band-Aids and create little Xs across the worst of KT’s gashes. “It’s all relative. Everyone has a unique set of challenges. Your problems aren’t insignificant just because our struggles seem harder on the surface. There are a lot of factors that go into working your way through life—personality, strengths, sources of support. We never really know what we’re capable of until we push ourselves. Like what you did out there, for example. I bet if I told you yesterday what you’d do today, you would never have believed it.”
“I guess,” I say, considering.