abundance

I have been looking longingly at my photographs from last year's road trip across the country. It's about the time of year I set off and well, there's not much good to be said about February in New England. My prevailing memory is actually a feeling, of being deeply moved by the absurd abundance of these wide open spaces. Abundance of air, time, of sky, trees, varieties of rocks and mountains, kinds of people, ways to live, and thanksfully, Love's truck stops. It made me feel a strong sense of all the life, literal and figurative, that's out there to be tapped into if we can keep our eyes open and be receptive. 

It would be fair to say that accessing a feeling of abundance doesn't marry easily with consulting work. There's always another candidate or client that needs to be unearthed, cramming me into a corner. Luckily, before returning from my roadie, I found an audio book called The Abundance Project. Like anything self-help, it can be hokey but the predominant message has pulled me back to a happy mindset whenever I begin to get worried about money, time, my cranky foot, erratic forehand drive or the leaky faucet that I know will lead to a big plumbing project. It usually only takes a few minutes of listening to produce a reframe and a deep sigh, leading to some of my most productive and insightful work.

Extrapolating on this led to the hybrid European trip at the end of 2023. While much of it was spent with family and friends, or working, there was a solo week in Seville that got me thinking. It's a beautiful city, the people were endearing, but frustratingly, the social fabric of the city was woven in the evenings at tapas bars, in big groups of which I was not part! I wanted in. 

So, yes, I'm still stuck on the tapas bar the women who let me in to my airbnb told me about. The one that wasn't touristy, was nearby that I walked by quite a few times before getting up the cojones to go in, that turned out to not be so fun alone. But, seriously, who's going to be in Spain for a week and not go to a tapas bar?? Maybe at my age, I don't have to worry about being hit on the way I would have when I was 28, but the scars are still there and it's awkward at best to be a solo woman at a bar or restaurant at night. 

When I got back to the US, a friend sent me this video about women traveling solo. Yes, days alone are the best, whether working or exploring or buying groceries, but the nights need help, falling into either the dull or stressful category. It occurred to me that I'd love to host a traveler in Boston, making life even more abundant, and figured maybe other women would feel the same way. Certainly not for everyone (one friend replied "great idea, sounds like hell"), but for the traveling sisterhood, a way to connect might be just the thing. So, I've created this website to bring us together with "host" women in the city we're visiting. It's not a dating site, but an opportunity to enjoy a dinner out, with a local woman at an un-touristy restaurant. 

Hopefully you'll click on the site (in beta). You may notice there are many whited out locations, meaning there aren't any hosts in those cities yet. In fact, the only places that currently have hosts are Boston (me) and Adelaide (my cousin Clara who, though we are only related through paternal great grandparents who were siblings, look very much alike). 

I have some asks. When you have a few minutes of downtime: (1) If you're a woman and live near a touristy city, can you sign up to host? (there's no expectation that you need to be regularly available), (2) f you know women in other big cities around the world, can you send the website link and ask them if they'd be open to hosting? And finally, (3) if you're a woman traveling alone, please keep the site in mind which will hopefully become populated with hosts soon. 

Muchas gracias.(about the only two words I was able to use in Spain)