I set out on my first “buying trip” in November 2015.  I posted this photo of me at 8 years old heading on my first plane ride to spend a summer on my grandmother’s farm in Iowa. This time, sitting at the airport waiting to board my flight to Italy, I truly felt like that delighted kid again.

For  how many years had I thought that I’d love to import scarves, basket purses or whatever it was that I’d discovered while traveling, and loved.

When I booked my flights all I had was an address of the wholesaler in Florence from a wrap I’d purchased the year before. Six months earlier, I’d done my best on freetranslation.com bit of broken Italian to ask if I could buy their wraps, but I’d had no response.  No matter, I had their address, and booked a flat with AirBNB in Florence that was close enough to their shop online.  I was ready. Ha!  Two days before I left, I used my new GoogleTranslate app (more later on this marvel) and sent one more message in Italian.  I received a response back (in Italian!) which I quickly cut and pasted into the app.  Carlo replied, “Buongiourno, Va bene vi aspetto io ci sona dalle 9:00 alle 15:30.  Grazie”  Translated that he would “wait there for me” which I loved.

In an instant, my trip became an actual buying trip, and it, THIS, was really happening.  I was bouncing.  Now I dared to say that this holiday was in fact just that; and that I had this fledgling enterprise that fed my creative, tactile, girly side. We find ways to feed our souls, don’t we?

The time is never just right. We do have to venture out and try. Do. Be. This simple act of doing brought so much joy to my little soul. I’d been crestfallen earlier in the year without a response; but I was going to show up anyway. There’s a life lesson inside there.  I’ll gladly take the delight and joy this little enterprise has brought into my life.  My hope is that you’ll find a similarly joyful “something” to pursue.  This Next Chapter is truly that, our next choice, opportunity, direction and most importantly soul-bursting joy from a pursuit of our own choosing.