There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

These past few weeks, I have found myself contemplating everything that has lead to me meeting all the people I have met, and continue to meet. Every moment, every decision in every one of our lives has led us here, to the same hostel or train or bar in Spain. Each of us with our own past. Our own reasons for being where we are. It's a rather exhausting thing to think about. I find myself contemplating the "what ifs". What if I had never chosen to go to Primavera Sound in Barcelona? I would have already walked the Camino. Would I have met someone who completely changed my life? Did I miss an opportunity?

    Last night, I walked into the common area of my hostel and there was a man sitting on the couch. He looked up at me, and before even saying hello, he said "You are a light bearer." So I thought "Cool, here's a weirdo. This should be interesting." But we started talking. He told me about how he used to be a workaholic. He used to care only about making money. And he was good at it. He had 70 million dollars in the bank. He had planes, boats, cars, properties. Then the market crashed and he had nothing. He was living in a parking lot. Cold, wet, and hungry. So he started a non profit organization, and before he knew it, he was speaking in front of thousands of people, several times a day. He told me the market crash was the best thing that has ever happened to him and he couldn't be more grateful.

     His plan now, is to spend a month in every single country. It will take him 15.7 years he says. But he's doing it. He's already been to countries that Americans "can't" go. He's already been threatened with death numerous times. He's been robbed. He's nearly been arrested. But he told me "When you radiate love and peace, you are protected. Nobody wants to hurt someone on their side. So give. Give everything you can. Love everyone with everything you have. Be a source of divine light. You will be amazed what life gives back to you."

    As I was thinking about this, he asked me, "What have you learned on your trip?"
When people would ask me this question before, I would say something along the lines of the world being too big and beautiful to ever comprehend. But this time, without thinking, words were just falling out of my mouth. I said, "I have learned that every person I meet on this trip needs something from me, and I from them. Every moment, in every one of our lives brought us here, together, not out of coincidence, but because our paths were meant to cross. And sometimes the lessons and impacts we have on each other are greater than others. But I have never made a wrong decision in my life and I never will. It's not possible."
"Do you understand now how you are a light bearer?," he asked, "I saw it in your eyes the moment you walked in."
And I understood.
 
   For the rest of the night, I walked slower, I noticed more, I felt peaceful. Very similar to the feeling you get after a really amazing yoga practice. I felt so incredibly present.

     The man left this morning, and I likely will never see him again. But he came into my life and accomplished what he came to do. He reminded me that there is no "what if." There is only what is. And what is is exactly perfect.