Lucky

I still can't believe how lucky we have been on this trip, because the good fortune just keeps on coming. We got to the airport without a hitch. We checked in without problems -- we both had seats, our vegie meals were there, the works. Although I couldn't check in and go upstairs with Wade and wait, it worked out fine, us waiting together until he had to go, and really, I don't see that as a stroke of bad luck. I had to wait three more hours for my plane anyways.

I found a store that sold English books, and one jumped out at me with the cover and titles. That's how I am about books. If they don't grab me from the start, from first glance, I won't bit. And this one, a true tale of a Muslim woman from the West Bank set afire for "disgracing" the family -- this one did the trick. It was just the right amount of money, too, and after paying I had exactly twenty Soles left, two paper bills that could be changed over to dollars. Money changers don't like coins, so I didn't want to leave with a chunk of change jingling in my pockets. Now all I have left is twenty centimes, a sum I am prepared to swallow.

With my purchase, I earned fifteen free minutes of internet of a nifty laptop set up in the store. Anna had written me back with her new digits, so I was able to address my final postcard from Peru. Although there is no post from the departure lounge, the kind girl at the register offered to send it for me with their mail.

And now I have another two hours to eat the bread and apple juice and chocolate I brought along, I have time to capture these last thoughts, and I have time to start my new book. Or perhaps the Vanity Fair magazine I nabbed last night.

So God has been good to us in South America, real good. We've been healthy, we've stayed friends (no small feat when in such close quarters), we've always found food and shelter, nothing was stolen from us, transportation was always easily had. Perhaps it is me being so optomistic, rose-colored glasses, what have you, that I choose to see everything as positive while ignoring those details that could have cast a negative light on our days. But I really feel that we were watched over these past three weeks, taken care of, and for that, I feel incredibly thankful and Lucky. Baruch Hashem, as they say in the 'hood, Broochashem.