Sometimes the perfect moment comes completely unexpectedly and those are probably the best and most memorable. It’s one thing when you’ve planned out an event, like a nice dinner at home with your partner, with nice wine and romantic music playing in the background… and completely different when the Universe blesses you with perfection with little or no notice. Last October, this sort of divine recipe came together complete with perfect weather, perfect wine, perfect food and Tiffany.
Eric and I decided it was time for a vacation so we packed our bags and headed North to where all South Floridians go to escape. Disney World. One thing you have to know about Florida is the climatological dividing line between hot and cold weather we see beginning in the Fall. A three hour car ride is all it takes for humidity to suddenly decrease and temperatures to dip into the comfort zone. So when you’re living in Miami, and you’re sick of summer when it should be gone already… you take a drive. To Orlando.
As our luck would have it, the Epcot Wine and Food Festival was taking place and so our timing couldn’t be more perfect. We arrived at the park just before sunset and the weather was made to order. The golden hour was in full effect and the temperatures were in the upper 70’s. A gentle breeze blew as we walked through the many booths representing countries from around the globe, sampling their delicious delicacies with suggested pairings of wine. What could be better?
Soon the sun began to dip low in the sky and we more than had our fill of international cuisine. We found ourselves in Mexico and that meant margaritas were required to celebrate our little escape from paradise. As we continued walking from one perfect reconstructed part of the planet to another, a nice tequila buzz began to set in and the sights and sounds of Epcot’s World Showcase blended into the perfect alternate reality. It really was the happiest place on Earth. Then we saw the sign.
Eric and I looked at each other with our mouths open like we had just won a car on the Price Is Right. Oh my God! Tiffany! She was performing right here and right now! Trying very hard not to act like teenage girls that just saw Justin Beiber, we ran to the packed outdoor theater and instantly found perfect seats, just waiting for us to sit and enjoy the show. And almost as quickly as we sat down, the band started playing and Tiffany was introduced. There was no turning back, we were totally teenage girls for the next 45 minutes and we didn’t care a bit.
There’s something about seeing a performer on stage that means so much more than the words they’re singing. This music was a direct connection to my past and to the person I am today. It represented memories of joy, heart ache and loneliness all wrapped up into a neat little package of notes and melodies. The things that basically represent life and the core of being human. Eric and I found ourselves unapologetically singing along, celebrating the happiness and the sadness we had associated with these songs, celebrating the act of experiencing these emotions, even if they were painful. It meant we had lived!
Tiffany sang her heart out and it was amazing how she could hit those notes. I never heard her live before, so I had no clue how strong her vocal talent was. Tiffany was bringing the house down! Her performance was a total gift and both Eric and I felt like the evening couldn’t get any better. Before we knew it, the show was over. Eric had live streamed the entire performance on Facebook so I’m somewhere out there on cyberspace going all bonkers for Tiffany, singing with complete joy, “I think we’re alone now.”
I think far too often we don’t recognize when we’re blessed with special moments and we take them for granted. Eric and I will never forget our special evening and the experience we shared together. You couldn’t have planned something like this, only the Universe is capable of producing something so flawless and complete.
But seriously, like how cool is it, that like, Tiffany was there?!
Like, Oh my God!