While many of my encounters tend to be one time or occasional, this couple has been on a journey which has been amazing to be a part of.
Mark and Gretchen were at a hotel where I had a convention last year. I met them after a day of networking while I sat at the hotel bar winding down before heading to my room to catch up on work. They both sat next to me, each ordering non-alcoholic drinks and we struck up a conversation. It turned out, they had come on vacation after a very rough year leaving their church and all the issues that brought with there families and community. There plan was to move and they were taking the time away to regroup, relax and make a plan. They both had a very wholesome air to them, and were extremely nice and open about what they had been through. After some quiet whispers between them, they asked me for recommendations for a drink. They had never drank regularly outside of a couple of rebellious streaks in their youth. Each ordered a tequila and soda and as they sipped they opened up more.