13. 9:15 – 9:30: PART I

I don’t want to leave this gorgeous place…  I look out to the waves coming ashore, directly in front of the cabana I’m lying in.  It is so nice to be here, and I’m feeling that feeling I get at the end of a great vacation when I don’t want it to end.  I stare at the landscape before me and try to drink in as much of the lusciousness as possible.  I glance at my watch and see that it’s 5:30, which means it’s almost sunset.  I pick up my camera and decide to go for a walk on the beach.  I’m amused with the minuscule crabs as they create patterns in the sand by scurrying about.  I’m intrigued by them and all the people that are gathering on the beach to see one of the most beautiful sites on the island — the sun saying goodbye for another day.  There’s some commotion on the other end of the beach.  I briskly walk over to see what’s going on.  Two women are carrying birds into the water, and I wonder what’s going to happen to the white duck and the chicken they’re carrying.  Then I notice that some of the other people in their group have flowers and slowly follow the two women into the water.  I bring my camera to my eye and start taking images, but I don’t know what I’m photographing.  The women continue walking into the water and then happily release the birds as the others toss flower petals into the air.  I walk up on the embankment along the beach and ask “English?  Does anyone speak English?”  A woman nods, and I walk over to her to ask what’s going on.  “It is a celebration for a baby who has lived for three months.  It is tradition to do this when the baby is very young.  The women ask God to continue blessing the baby and making the baby stronger as it grows and gets bigger.”  “Thank you,” I tell the woman.  She and some of the locals gather flowers that were not offered and pile them into the back of a pickup truck.  I see the smiles on their faces as they drive away, and I feel happy for them.  Balloon and kite vendors pass by as I continue walking on the beach.  A few young men play with a soccer ball, and families build castles in the sand.  A naked little boy runs past me while his mother chases him and yells in a foreign language.  The atmosphere is easygoing, and there is a sense of community.  I feel free and at home here.  I watch the water lap at my feet.  It’s just so easy being here…  I’m sad that I have to leave tomorrow…  I stop walking and look out at the ocean and the warm sky with its magical golden hues.  Then, taking my eyes off of the distant horizon, I see a man and a woman getting into a canoe.  The waves are making it difficult for them to get in, and I hope they don’t flip over.  Then I hear, “Run to them,” whispered in my right ear.  I quickly look to my right, but there is no one there.  I do a complete 360-degree turn to see if there is anyone around me, but there isn’t.  This is crazy…  Who said that?  I’m confused because I don’t know where it came from, and I feel chills covering my body.  I look back to the people in the canoe, and for some reason, I listen to what the voice said.  I start running down the beach clutching my camera and then wade into the water.  It feels crazy to be doing this, but something is urgently drawing me to these people.  It feels surreal.  When I reach them, they are safely in the canoe.  They look at me like, Who is this crazy woman?  Not knowing what to do, or why I’ve been drawn to them I say, “Hello.  May I take your photo?”  They agree.  I bring my camera to my eye.  As I’m clicking the shutter to take their photograph, the man raises his arms in the air and exuberantly yells out, “India!”  I look at him in disbelief because it’s such an odd thing to say, and I’m not sure what’s going on…  “I love India,” I say.  “I’ve been to India.  Are you from there?”  “Yes, we are from Delhi.  My wife and I are here celebrating 40 years of marriage.  Our son arranged this tour for us in Bali as a gift.”  He looks at his wife and smiles.  “How wonderful for you to be here celebrating.  May I take another photograph?”  His wife says “yes” and then then tells him to behave and “just smile”.  I take another image and assume they are about to leave, and I think I should leave.  But then they surprise me.  He starts to get out of the canoe, so I ask, “Aren’t you going for a ride?”  “Oh no,” the man says.  We were just having some fun to tell our son.”  “Oh, well I’m sure that you’ll have many wonderful stories to tell him.”  “My name is RK and this is my wife,” he says, extending his hand.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I say, shaking his hand but still wondering why I’m standing in the water next to them.  “My name is Lisa Brighton, and I’ve actually been to Delhi.  I was there in 2009 as part of my pilgrimage through India.  India holds a very special place in my heart, so special that I’m actually writing a book about it.”  RK smiles and the energy shifts as I get a funny feeling in my gut.  My instincts are telling me something, but I don’t know what it is.  I don’t say anything as I study his face and wait for a response.  Then I hear, “I am a book publisher in Delhi.  This is my business.  I have been a publisher of many successful books for many years.”  He goes on to say a number of things about some of the authors he works with, and when I hear the name “Deepak Chopra,” I take a deep breath and start to tremble.  I now know why I was told to run to them, and I try wrap my brain around what’s happening.  I try to stay focused on the conversation and not get distracted by how I was told to run to them.  “You are writing a book?” he asks.  “Yes.  I’ve been working on it for two years, and I’m trying to teach myself how to become a writer as I write it.”  I pause and then add, “I think that my trip to Bali is part of the story.”  He looks at me intensely, and I can feel the energy around us change again.  I don’t know what he’s going to say, but I intently listen.  “Perhaps we should discuss your book over a bottle of wine,” he says.  Say what?  Did he really say what I think I he said?  He wants to discuss my book…  “Yes, I would like that very much.  Thank you.”  “I knew something unusual was happening when I saw you coming into the water,” he says.  “I can only imagine,” I say.  “I can’t believe this is happening.”  “Are you staying at the Four Seasons?”  “Yes.”  “Please join my wife and I at our villa after we’ve had our evening meal.”  “Alright.  That would be lovely.”  He tells me their villa number, and we agree to meet later, between 9:15 and 9:30.  “I will see you then,” I say.  “Thank you very much, RK.”  We say our goodbyes, and I walk back to the beach to give them privacy for their “sunset moment”.  I go back to my cabana and look at the sunset as I try to process what’s happening.  I see RK and his wife walk past arm-in-arm.  Celebrating 40 years of marriage in Bali.  So romantic…   I feel a small tug on my heart, and I sigh at the absence of that type of love in my life…  Someday soon, I hope…  Now, I have other priorities — like meeting them between 9:15 and 9:30.  Then I need to figure out who whispered in my ear…