Describe one of your favorite moments.

Barcelona, Spain. May 2018.

“Look Up, Then Look Inside.”

A stranger once said to me as he sat beside me while I was blankly staring at the view atop Mirador del Turo de la Rovira during a backpacking trip in Barcelona, Spain back un 2018.

He repeated the things he uttered obviously with the intention that I take notice of it. I just arrived at the viewdeck of this famed spot overlooking Barcelona. The walk to the top was quite short but was pretty tiresome as it was steep and the sun was quite unforgiving that day. So the moment I reached the top, I looked for a spot to sit down, stared at the view Infront of me and tried to calm down my then heavy breathing. The cool wind started blowing off and whispering dweet nothings to my ears. And then that voice from the stranger who came to sit beside me.

I looked at him and said, “excuse me, what was it that you were saying?”

“Look up, then look inside.” — he quipped and sheepishly smiled at me. “Hola, welcome to España” – he added.

And that started out an entire morning talking about random things about life, from something serious to our humdrum, mundane experiences. We talked and laughed about love topics to politics to food!

That’s what I love about meeting random people in my travel. No judgements nor pretentions just because we don’t have built any biases yet towards them since they don’t know me and I don’t know them. It’s a beautiful feeling when you just talk with out expectations and filter.

That time in Barcelona was and is a favorite moment til this time. I was traveling then with a heavy heart and the once stranger said he saw it in my eyes that’s why he said those words to me.

The most memorable part of our conversation when he reminded me that whenever we have problems, we are so quick to forget that prayer is one of the most powerful forms of healing. That whether we’re religious or not, what’s important is we are able to express our fears and frustrations out loud. He says this works wonders. I was just silent and smiling from within listening to these.

Ended that morning with a quick visit to Moubt Tibidabo, a site he suggested. And lo, the church there is beautiful. It was a lovely place for me to express my fears and expressions. Thanks to Juan whom I never met again since that morning. He was like someone sent from up above to give me much needed realizations in life.

📍 Barcelona, España.

Take it easy.