Strolling through the art fair across from the Ferry Building in San Francisco, we stopped to check out some hand crafted bracelets. Within seconds the artist, a cheerful middle aged man, had them on our wrists ready for a sale. Looking down to his hand I noticed we had the same tattoo, which is the Om symbol.
"Hey we have the same tattoo!" I exclaimed.
"Oh ya, this was done in Bombay around 73' after we came out of an opium den." He said nonchalantly and continued fitting our wrist's with the perfect size bracelet.
The excitement filled every cell in my body and I needed to know more!
"What was this opium den like? How long were you in India? What were you doing there?" I simply could not get enough questions out as I started to feel a little embarrassed.
After he graduated from college in Munich, he and some friends decided to go to India with no money. They chose the "hippie trail", which went through Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other middle eastern countries. He stayed in India for a few years and to this day cannot believe he did that!
As we were walking away he yelled, "Go see the world!"
"She already is!" my friend yelled back.
For days I could not stop thinking about this encounter. His travel story was so exotic, exciting, and thrilling to me. For a moment I was there too, in India, smoking opium in 1973.
I do believe that every single person has a story to share. It may not take place in some far away land, as adventures do happen in our back yards, but it will transport you to another place and time. Ask, listen, be friendly, and open up yourself.
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