So when I mentioned to my friend @rebeccavillegas that I was impulsively going to Bali, she expressed how much she needed the same. What I said next might’ve offended so many others as I told her, “Then you should come. But I need to stay in my own place alone and I need lots of alone time. If that still sounds like something you want to do, let me know. I’m sorry I’m so weird and you hope that doesn’t hurt you.” She said “Don’t make yourself small for anyone. Be the awkward, intelligent, beautiful weirdo that you are. Weird it out!! Should I book the same fight as you? Or do you need more space than that?” I can’t even explain the gift it is to feel so understood. We told my friend Mark that we were bailing to Bali. He looked at both of us and said “Ummm you realize that it’s rainy season there right?” Becca and I both just looked at each other, shrugged and laughed. We flew together but stayed in our own places, a 40 min walk apart. I stayed in a beautiful little village guesthouse and she stayed in a in a gorgeous hotel in a nearby town. We called them country home and city home. We’d update each other on our days and all the fun and treasures we discovered. We’d visit country home and city home and meet up for workshops and meals. And when I felt the pull to go deep into my alone time, Becca would hug me and wish me well. But one beautiful sunny day, after I had a stretch of solo time, she called and said, “The sun is up today!! It’s beautiful out! I rented a scooter and I want to pick you up and give you a tour of my town! I swear it will only take 20 minutes and I’ll get you right back! You’ll love it! Let’s go get some sunshine!” She picked me up and within 20 minutes, we were totally lost in a torrential downpour. She apologized -but it felt amazing!! I shouted to her to just keep driving! We rode for hours. It’s still one of my favorite highlights of the whole trip. Thanks Becca for being such a great friend, the yang to my yin, and for embracing it all with me. Our rainy season shall indeed pass, but sometimes surrendering completely to the beauty of it, is exactly what we need.