Lost in Humble

This week, I had a chance to meet up with a few Sunset Zoo pals who now live in Houston. She is a veterinarian and he is a soccer-loving ZooKeeper. He also launched "cheesy movie nights" for Zoo staff a few years ago: good food, cheesy movies, with a background chorus of hyenas, kookaburras, and peacocks. Jayson and Sarah are fun foodies. 

They had found a great place to meet in central Houston, so I plugged the address I had for Maria's empanada place into my GPS and took off. Wheee! Adventure!

Along the lengthy way, I thought, "it seems a bit far for Westheimer" and "I'm surprised they'd go way out here" as I shifted lanes around fresh wrecks and above the city on the raised tollways.

I was really surprised when my GPS told me to turn off at Humble…Humble, Texas. That seemed a bit off of the radar, even for foodies.

After fumbling around a bit, I found a tiny taqueria lodged between a Good Samaritan closet and a tire store. This must be the place- the best empanadas in Houston found in Humble? Sure. Why not? My GPS don't lie.

One step into this tiny tasty smelling place and I knew that I may be in Humble, but I'm not in the right spot. 

So I called Jayson and we cackled and he found the correct street address for my GPS and agreed to wait. Forty-five minutes later, I pulled into and around a high-end Houston dining spot to an oasis of doughy deliciousness and found my friends. It was great to see them, hear their stories, and enjoy tasty food.

Since then, I've been struck by how zealously I barreled off into the wrong direction. I had double checked the name, plugged it into my GPS, and sped into the Houston afternoon – landing in the wrong place and wrong city. Humble.

So often, we earnestly strike out into the highway to find friends and life and end up on the wrong highway to Humble. 

Humble is pretty cool if that is where you need to be (and don't we all need to be in Humble some time?), but if it isn't where you meet your pals, then you are in the wrong spot.

And I loved how I found Good Samaritans in Humble.

And tasty taquerias.

And tires if I needed them.

So the trip wasn't wasted. 

I've found another way to Humble – this time with fewer faceplants and tears – and I pray that I'll find Humble again. 

Daily.

Only in my heart and not my GPS.

Next time Sarah, Jayson, and I meet, by the way, it will be among the Hobbits at the Hobbit Cafe. I know where that is…at least my GPS does.

Travel light my friends. You never know where you will be in the morning.

BONUS: Jayson introduced me to movie classics such as Bubba Hotep and the snarky Mystery Science Theater 3000. Can't say I enjoyed all the movies, but the company and laughing with the hyenas was fun. Thanks to all the folks, like Jayson and Sarah, who go out of their way to make things welcome and fun. You inspire.