Just a minute ago, I was talking to my friend as our group wandered through the Guatemalan mercado. The maze of rows was filled with vendors selling everything from clothing to wood carvings to jewelry. Each item was brilliantly colored; bright reds, emerald greens, deep blues and sunny yellows caught our eyes from every stall. Gradually, our conversation petered out as we looked more closely at the carefully crafted items. Enthralled by the artistry, I wandered from stall to stall. I must have gone in a different direction than my friends, because when I looked up, I was all alone. Frantically, I looked around to find a familiar face, but I saw only strangers.
Not knowing what else to do, I called out: “Fiona! Lois! Where are you?”
My voice seemed to disappear into the crowd, and I started to feel panicked. I’ve got to calm down, I thought, but there are too many people here! I can’t think… After a few panicked moments, I remembered having gone through a calmer garden area. I remembered where I had been, more or less, so I started to head in that direction.