Today, as my day at work ended and I went to my weekly Tuesday meeting place, I found myself wanting to rush home, walk the dog and make some dinner. But a woman, whom I have only met twice, needed my help. I do not know very much about this woman, only her name, and that we share some common things. I do not want to guess her age but there is a number of years between us. I gladly said I would help her.

It feels good to help a stranger that is truthfully asking for help, and more specifically my help. After I finished helping this woman with her task, we began to talk. I had no idea where this conversation was going, but I was open and enjoyed being in the moment as we sat outside in a quaint courtyard with a garden and a pond. I realized soon that we had many more things in common and we were sharing stories and experiences about life, family and activities.

I love when I listen, instead of talking all the time, that I learn so much. She was telling me all about her life in Cuba, about places I have never heard of and the culture. She also explained to me some of the places she has worked in Miami. She explained to me about a place in Coconut Grove called the Barnacle

Here is a description from the website www.floridastateparks.org

The Barnacle Historic State Park

This beautiful house with a whimsical name dates to a quieter time. The Barnacle, built in 1891, offers a glimpse of Old Florida during The Era of the Bay. Situated on the shore of Biscayne Bay, this was the home of Ralph Middleton Munroe, one of Coconut Grove´s most charming and influential pioneers. Munroe’s principal passion was designing yachts. In his lifetime, he drew plans for 56 different boats. As a seaman, civic activist, naturalist, and photographer, Commodore Munroe was a man who cherished the natural world around him. A walk into the park passes through a tropical hardwood hammock. In the 1920s, it was representative of the original landscape within the city of Miami. Today, it is one of the last remnants of the once vast Miami Hammock. Enjoy sitting in the rocking chairs on the spacious porch used as a gathering place or on a bench under a tree for solitude.

She also explained how every full moon they have an outdoor moonlit concert! Infact the last one is this May 9, 2009. I will not be going as I am looking forward to dinner with friends, but the thought of going someday is very exciting. I am grateful that events like this exist and I love discovering things about the city that I live in, that are historical and related to the environment.

So thank you my new friend for our nice talk and for teaching me about some interesting places in Miami! You really can learn something everyday!