an epic life

Fate in the Friendly Skies

November 28th, 2019

It was March 2011, and I was on a flight from Denver to San Francisco. I was traveling to California for my final coaching course. An exhausted mother of three young sons,  I couldn’t wait for the “me-time” the flight would provide. I wouldn’t squander it for anything. At the time, I was reading Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, and I couldn’t wait to bury my head in the book for two solid hours.

After finding my window seat near the back of the plane, I sat with the book on my lap and my headphones on. I wasn’t actually listening to anything. Rather I wanted to send a signal to those around me that I was otherwise encumbered. As in, Please Do Not Disturb.

Soon the middle and aisle seat passengers–a man and woman–arrived and sat in their seats next to me. Once buckled in, the man to my left in the middle seat, greeted me with a friendly smile and Hello, and the woman in the aisle seat did the same. I reciprocated before returning to my book.

The man then asked me if I was traveling for work or fun. A little annoyed at the interruption, but wanting to be friendly, I said, “mostly for work.” I shared that I was going to my last coaching course but that I had also built in some fun. My husband would fly out to join me in a few days and we’d hike and make a quick trip to Napa. The man introduced himself as Kit and then introduced me to the woman in the aisle seat, his sister. Kit shared that they were going to San Francisco to visit their niece. It was a pleasant exchange but I really wanted to get back to my book so I put my headphones back on and returned to Unbroken.

A few minutes later, Kit asked me something else. I can’t recall exactly what because it was almost nine years ago, but I kindly answered, while closing my book and removing my headphones.

I love people, and I’m curious to a fault so I did what I often do when I meet someone new: I started asking questions. A lot of them. Before long, I knew that Kit lived in Colorado Springs, that he was divorced, semi-retired from a job that had something to do with computer chips, and that he had recently begun drawing on his Social Security. I learned that he was taking an art history class and that he had dreams of traveling the world, but wished he had someone to do it with. He told me about his children and grandchildren. He asked me questions too, and we had a wonderful conversation that covered a range of topics and lasted most of the flight. 

After exiting the plane, I walked with Kit and his sister to the baggage claim. They introduced me to their niece, who was lovely and there to pick them up. Kit and I exchanged contact information and I promised to email him information about my favorite hikes in Muir Woods. After our farewells, I watched as Kit and his sister loaded their luggage into the trunk of their niece’s car, and I felt blessed to have met them. While I didn’t get to read my book, I definitely did not squander my time!

A week and a half later, following my California trip, I was on a road-trip with two of my best friends, Kathy and Holly. We were driving to West Yellowstone, MT., to cross country ski in a 24-hour ski festival. Like me, Holly and Kathy are voracious readers and we often discuss books. I had finally finished reading Unbroken and I was giving it rave reviews.

As I was telling them about the book, I mentioned my recent San Francisco flight and how I had planned on reading the book during the flight if not for the friendly man seated next to me.

I explained that instead of reading, I engaged in conversation with the man, named Kit. Proud of my “interviewing” skills, I shared with Kathy and Holly a sampling of what I was able to learn about Kit during our flight. More or less, I told them Kit was “a handsome man from Colorado who was divorced, semi-retired, had just started drawing on his social security, was interested in art history, and had dreams of traveling the world.”

Holly, in the back seat, suggested, “Maybe we should introduce him to my Mom.” 

Holly’s mom, Sharon, is one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met. Tragically, her husband had passed away two years earlier.  Holly’s mom was healing but still grieving the loss of her beloved life partner, with whom she had made so many plans for the future.

At first, I chuckled at Holly’s suggestion. It seemed preposterous. But then I told her I had the man’s email address and if she was serious, and her mom agreed to it, I could send an email to Kit about a possible intro. Upon our return from the ski trip, Holly asked her mom if she was open to such an introduction, and while Holly’s mom wasn’t particularly optimistic given the geographical distance, she gave us the green light.

I emailed Kit and explained that I was sorry if I was overstepping and sorry if my note was awkward. I wrote that I enjoyed meeting him and that he seemed like a wonderful catch for someone I knew. I shared briefly about my dear friend’s mom, an amazing woman who had lost her husband two years earlier. I wondered if he’d be open to an introduction. I included Sharon’s phone number in the email before signing off.

Kit emailed me back. He appreciated that I thought of him as a suitable prospect for my friend’s mom and said he’d consider reaching out to her. 

A couple of days passed and on March 23, 2011, Kit called Sharon. 

And the rest is history.  

“Something clicked on that first call,” explains Sharon. “We ended up talking every evening for a couple of weeks before finally meeting in person. It was obvious that we had many shared goals and values, and there was mutual chemistry that made it worth dealing with the distance issue however we could.”

It’s been almost nine years since that first phone call and by all indications, Kit and Sharon are living happily ever after. They share two homes, one in Colorado Springs and the other in San Diego. They spend time with their blended families, including their children and grandchildren. They have enjoyed countless adventures and have traveled extensively. 

“We are seeing the world together,” reports Kit. “Our first trip was to Prague, then down the Danube to Budapest, seeing the sights and cities (Salzburg, Vienna, etc.) along the way. Next we went to Greece, Turkey, Montenegro, Croatia, and Italy. Then it was to Russia with friends, cruising from Moscow to St. Petersburg , stopping at lots of smaller towns between the two. After that we cruised down the Rhine River from Switzerland, where we went high into the Alps, and to Amsterdam and to France and Germany.”

They also traveled to Africa (Tanzania) with Sharon’s daughter Holly and family in 2017, and in 2018, they traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia, and to England, Scotland, and Norway. They are currently planning trips to Italy and Switzerland. In addition to their international travels, they’ve also enjoyed many trips throughout the U.S.  Currently, they are looking forward to a trip to Isle Royale National Park, and a Viking Baltic Cruise.

“After eight years we still love each other dearly, have a deep concern for each other’s happiness, and can’t imagine not being together,” says Sharon.

A few years ago, I was in San Diego for work and Kit and Sharon invited me to stay with them in their new home. (I was their first house guest.) After arriving, we took a stroll on a nearby beach before Sharon cooked a delicious meal for us. After much wonderful and meaningful conversation, we said our goodnights and I retreated to the guest room. 

As I got settled, I noticed a book on the nightstand.

Can you guess which one? 

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P. S. I don’t believe in coincidences. On that March day in 2011, while flying through the skies between Denver and San Francisco, I think was an instrument for the Universe, placed in that particular seat to facilitate what could, if all the necessary and subsequent “connections” were made, facilitate a love story. What if I would have kept my head buried in the book during my flight? What if I hadn’t mentioned reading the book, Unbroken, during my road-trip with Kathy and Holly? I’m so glad I didn’t squander my time reading my book. And finally, one more thing: Since helping to matchmake Kit and Sharon, I have match-made another couple, Florian and Mary. Florian and Mary are married and have a 3-year-old son. But that’s another story that I will tell another time.)

Following are some photos Sharon and Kit shared with me:

Cambodia, 2017.

Russia, 2014.

Celebrating their new home in San Diego, 2014.

With Sharon’s daughter Holly and her family in Africa, 2017.

Swiss Alps, 2015.

• Categories: Adventure, Life and Leadership, Travel
• Tags: airplane story, flight, love story, matchmaker, matchmaking, no coincidences, serendipity, strangers, universe
• Comments: 2 Comments