Grandmas Are Always Right

“You’re going to come back with peace signs on your face and dreadlocks in your hair!”

When I told my family that I wanted to leave home and live in the “ever-so-scary Mexico” for four months, they were slightly less than thrilled.

My grandma swore I was going to fall in love with a Mexican and never come home. My mom made me formally pledge that I would go back to university and refrain from getting any tattoos. But the most common response I got was just one three-letter word: “Why?”

It was such a simple and innocent question, yet it left me stumped.

Honestly, my decision to pack up and devote eight months of my time as a student in Live Different Academy was not well thought out and very spontaneous. It was kind of like getting a new haircut post-breakup, but slightly more expensive, and much more life changing.

Looking back, I truly had no idea what I was getting myself into. I’m very lucky that it has all worked out so well, which has led to believe that there’s a reason behind it all.

Flash forward to January.

I’m miles above the earth and hovering somewhere between Rochester, New York, and San Diego, California. I’m cushioned by clouds and flying into the one of the most spectacular sunsets of my life. The sky is a canvas contoured by purple clouds and covered with an array of orange, yellow, and red. From my tiny window, I eagerly soak up the one-of-a-kind masterpiece that lies before me.

In that moment, I feel a stir in my spirit. The best way to describe it would be a warm embrace from the inside out. A subtle sign that I am exactly where I am meant to be. 

Take two.

We’re driving down the Ensenada highway and we stumble across a roadblock. Somehow we manage to work our magic and we’re back on the highway. We end up getting far enough along the highway to check out the stunning lookout. The sky is clear, the ocean is blue, and I’ve never felt so alive.

These are the moments I view as checkpoints for my destiny.

Deep down, I feel someone patting me on the back, letting me know that I’m right where I’m supposed to be. In a world of infinite possibilities, it’s nice to have some reassurance I’m on the right path.

As much I hate to admit it, my grandma was kind of right in a way. Though I’m not falling for a person, I am certainly falling for the culture, the people, and the experience. There will definitely be pieces of my heart left in Mexico when I leave in some short few months.

I encourage you to take a minute to check in with your heart. Are you sure you’re on the right path? You’d be surprised what it has to tell you.

Lots of love,

Meagan <3