SEDONA: PART IX

I got back to my hotel, took a shower and changed into dry clothes. Realizing I'd not yet had breakfast, I decided to head over to a restaurant that Debra recommended. And lo and behold, when I walked in I saw Debra, Tom and Tessa sitting at a table. They invited me to join them.

"So how's your trip been so far?" Debra asked.

I proceeded to fill her in on my goings-on: from the exhilarating moment on the ledge with John, to the tattoo parlor, meeting Jim and Joe and my early morning hike. Tessa's eyes bugged out while I talked, hardly believing all I'd been through, while Tom and Debra sat back and smiled.

"Sounds like you're having a true Sedona awakening," said Tom. "I'm looking forward to the breathwork session this afternoon."

After enjoying a great meal together, I got in the car and decided to head over to the arts & crafts festival to meet Jim and Joe. It was only a couple miles down the road that I came upon the rows of vendors tents. The weather was perfect - about 70 degrees, dry and sunny - and everyone looked like they were having a great time.

I wandered around a bit and it wasn't long before I found my friends. Joe was selling shirts and other 'marbleized' garments near another vendor who was selling Native American flutes. I chatted with the flute guy for a while and ended up buying one, along with two of his CDs.

I hung around for an hour or so and made plans to meet up with Jim and Joe for dinner in the evening. My breathwork session was still an hour off, so to kill some time, I remember heading over to the Chapel of the Holy Cross to sit on a rock and enjoy the view. From my perch, I dialed my friend Jeni (the one who, in the diner that evening, had encouraged me to take the trip.)

I told her all about my adventures so far, and thanked her for giving me the nudge to take the first step. Amazing what can happen once something's set in motion: from one little idea, an entire life can change.