Geocaching, Aye?

So I have a confession to make, I’ve taken up a new hobby...Geocaching. (hashtag nerd alert)

No but really, it’s kind of awesome.

So what the heck is geocaching?!

For those of you who don’t know, geocaching is a real life global treasure hunt in which you are given coordinates and clues to where a little secret gem is hiding.

The best part is you have no effing idea what you are looking for, but when you find it you are filled with a rush of accomplishment. And what’s even better than the best part of geocaching? There are other geocachers from around the world looking for the same undiscovered treasure as you.

So now that I’ve broken down the awesomeness of geocaching, let me get to the point of this blog post. Like most days in the life of Gennah, it all stated when I went for my daily run around Diamond Head...

I came across two nice ladies searching high and low in the bushes on my running path. They looked straight up lost even with the big ass GPS in their hand.

I looked at them and low-key asked “Are you guys geocaching?”

Boom. Caught red-handed.

They laughed and asked me if I knew where it was.

“No, but I’ll help you find it.”

There I was, knees deep in a ditch with two forty-something year old Canadian tourists searching under any and every rock for this geocaching treasure.

After 20 minutes of aimless wandering my new friend and “geocaching virgin” Wendy found the prize. We talked story for a minute and I told them to visit me at Yard House (because we kind of have the most kick ass happy hour ever) and sure enough a couple of days later I was reunited with my new best Canadian geocaching gal pals.

I asked what they had planned for their last day on island and Wendy proudly told me “I’m going to go on your run around Diamond Head tomorrow.”

I told her I’d join and she said “I’m going at 6:30 a.m.”

 “Fuuuuuck.” “Perfect. We can catch the sunrise!”

I’m not going to lie, I don’t let a lot of people into my running realm because it takes a determined person to keep up. But when I saw Wendy decked out head-to-toe in her lululemon spandex running attire I was the one intimidated super excited to give a tourist a peak into this enchanted path of mine.

As we shared our lives with each other over a six-mile sunrise run, it was almost as if I was talking to my future self. She told me how she has been a running forever, how writing has always been her true passion in life and how she even played hockey baseball growing up.

This running tour will forever be a memory I hold close to my heart because for a moment in time I shared my path with a complete stranger. The positive beam of light that is Wendy was totally inspired by my story and encouraged me to continue living life to the fullest.

To have an outsider recognize (and be impressed by) the appreciation I have for life is reminds me that I'm doing something right and as I continue down up this divine path with my never-ending gratitude, I will end up exactly where I am supposed to be.

It's fascinating the things we can learn if we allow ourselves to open up to an unfamiliar person.

I know Wendy was brought into my life for a reason. I’m not sure why, but I know it’s only a matter of time until I uncover it.

Like I said before, when you geocach you have no idea what you are looking for and the treasure I found on this hunt was much greater than I could’ve ever imagined.