Recently, my husband Dee celebrated his 50th birthday, which was a big deal! All birthdays deserve celebration, especially milestones like the “Big 5-0!”

We were unsure where we were going the day before Dee’s birthday. I had thought about surprising him with a trip. It should be a big birthday; he is 50 and deserves, as everyone does, to be celebrated. Life for us has been overwhelmingly hectic. My dad is in a care facility, my workload has been heavy, and we have plenty of other distractions in our world. I wanted to put it aside and do something special together for a weekend.

The big question was: what exactly would he enjoy doing? He doesn’t like the beach and doesn’t care about swimming. Would he like the colder temps and scenery of the mountains? I prefer being warm over freezing so Key West would have been my favorite. But this vacation was his celebration, not mine!

Then I remembered he mentioned visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture.  I knew that a weekend there would be too expensive and crowded. But he had also mentioned a good one in Montgomery, Alabama, The Legacy Museum. But it was a long car ride, and flight prices were too high (in my opinion).

I shared my thoughts, and he said let’s go to Charleston. It is three hours away from us, and we have both been to it a couple of times and liked it.

We left the next day on his birthday, and I was looking at rooms on the way down there. I had looked before but thought they might drop because there were a lot of rooms available. It’s January and cold. Well, the ones I was looking at staying at went up a couple hundred dollars. I probably spent most of our drive trying to pick another place now. The Ryder Hotel is Downtown and near Market Street, which everybody says you must see—located near lots of shops and eating places.

He had time to drive around before our 4:00 pm check-in, and I noticed they had the IAAM. We decided to go. I loved the short video Seeking, Mapping a Gullah Geechee story.

{photo source: Wikipedia}

It expressed how often the Gullahs are taught how to seek and find alone with God or in nature. Through seeking, they find beauty all around them.

I connected with that I feel like I live that way often always looking for God, and even in traumatic circumstances I know he is there. Charleston was the most active port of arrival and departure in the Transatlantic slave trade.

I learned about Loretta Stanley, the last of the Moving Star Hall singers. Makensie had some excellent praise singers and stompers at her wedding, but not from that group. I loved reading about the Buffalo Soldiers. 

{Photo Credit: Wikipedia}

Reading how the Black soldiers joined the union to free themselves and their people. It’s like getting hit by a train and being responsible for fixing yourself. (I have used the train metaphor several times and just read last night Cudjo Lewis was not only a slave but got hit by a train after being free.)

After we checked into our hotel, I looked up its history and discovered that it used to be The Charles (my Uncle’s name) Inn, and Edgar Allen Poe wrote his short Essay The Gold Bug there. While checking in, they had a teal bike sitting there, which is a ZTA color.

My childhood friend Jennifer and I have a thing with the Queen bicycle song… I like to ride my bicycle; I want to ride it well. We got name tags on the desk that said Chelsea, Joe (my uncle), and Katrina ( a hurricane my dad worked).

We still had time after that visit, so I heard of an angel oak tree on James Island. This tree  is over 400 years old.

{Photo Credit: Wikipedia}

After we checked into the hotel, I looked up the Gold Bug. I knew who Poe was but had never read the Gold Bug. I laughed as I read the summary. It is about a bug he finds with an inscription on it, and people think he might have gone mad or been bitten by it because of his obsession with clues. He later finds the gold and jewels. That’s hilarious because I am always searching.

The following day, we walked to a nearby breakfast place. It’s a teal and called Miller. It’s the last name of my college sister and roommate. We pass Louis Vuitton, who has a wooden chest just like my grandfather’s, in his window at Shepherd Jewelry.

After that, we walked 10,000 steps and spotted Belmont and Darling. We wanted to walk to Market Street. It was not that way. I am so glad we found the Belmont and Darling.

This incredible trip was a perfect example. As we dined in a local eatery, there was a mural depicting the meaning of “Spirit.” In an instant, I was reminded of a dear friend who passed away from suicide. He and I were voted Most School Spirit back in high school. I miss him and think of him often.

I’ve often thought about how brilliant God is, and I feel blessed to experience his “God Winks” virtually everywhere I go. He keeps reminding me of my proud past and how lucky I am to be where I am today.

These nudges from Him are all around us; if we pay attention, we can savor life more than ever.

Have you experienced any God Winks lately?

One More Thing

Loved Just As I Am by Melissa McDaniel, M.Ed., LCMHC, NCC, shares a thirty-year journey of learning and healing from pain and shame, letting go of judgment and control, and never losing sight of the knowledge God loves unconditionally. McDaniel now uses her complete understanding of compassion and abuse to help others cope and heal.

This book is available on Amazon, Kindle, and my business website.