Last week, I spent the week at Lake Huron in Bayfield, and it was a beautiful gift.

I was taking part in a five-day retreat called 'The Value of Being' and decided to go up a day early. On my way to the beach, a woman was walking toward me. She waved as she approached, and I waved back. As we got closer, she realized I wasn't who she thought I was.

We said hello and started chatting. I told this lady I was visiting, and she told me she lived there.

She mentioned that she had a garage sale on the weekend and still had lots of stuff for sale. She gave me her address and said I could come by anytime.

Then, out of my mouth, without even thinking, I said, "I could walk there with you to see what you have." She said, "Great!"

I found this woman fascinating, and a part of me wanted to spend more time with her. Her name was Justine. She had a beautiful energy. She looked like an adventurer, and I wanted to go on an adventure with her.

We started walking, and Justine told me that before we went to her home, she wanted to show me a stunning peony bush she had seen earlier that day. She told me she was an avid gardener and had never seen one like it.

I felt like I was on a guided tour and was happy to follow her lead.

We walked through a little pathway hidden between the houses and found the peony bush a few houses down. She was right—it was beautiful, a work of art.
As we continued walking, I became curious about this woman and asked her questions about herself. I learned she was 80 years old, Polish, and had lived in Canada for 40 years. She shared about the community where she lives now and how involved she is.

When we got to her place, I wasn't surprised to see such beautiful gardens in her front yard. So colourful and creative.

She first took me to her garage and showed me everything she had for sale. She was a bit of a saleswoman. I couldn't resist buying a few things from her.

She then offered to take me on a tour of her back gardens—both flower and vegetable. They were stunning! She introduced me briefly to her husband, who I learned was eighty-four and a big help to her in the gardens.

It was time to leave, and Justine told me to return anytime. I told her I would.

With my new purchases in hand, I left and walked along the roads and pathways she showed me, and I just felt good.
Two days later, I decided to pop by her house and tell her how much our interaction meant. I told her about this weekly blog and asked if she would be okay with me writing about our time together and sharing our photos. She said, of course.

We said our goodbyes. I left with a happy heart….and two more treasures from her garage sale. :)

Why do I share this story with you?

This experience touched me deeply.

It has shown me how much I have changed and what I value has changed.

If I had met Justine many years ago when I did not have a spiritual practice, our interaction wouldn't have been the same. I was too stressed, distracted, and consumed with myself to be interested in spending time with a stranger. I may have said hi, and that's it.

My connection with Justine was a perfect beginning to my retreat, 'The Value of Being,'

It has given me a deeper appreciation for how my spiritual practice has brought such a richness to my life.

My practice is to be here now.

The value of being caused me to be present, open, curious, and connect with an incredible woman.

What do you value?

Get close to it.
Let it guide the way.
And be open to the beauty that unfolds.

With love,

Diane