There is a park in the middle of town on the island of Colon in Bocas Del Toro, Panama. Streets run around all four sides of it. Fantastically huge trees grow in the park and the peeling-painted benches offer seating to travelers and locals alike. If you walk down the street on the west side of the park and you see Good Times walking down the street on the east side of the park, you better hurry up and decide if you want to buy one of his free newspapers.
Yes, buy one. Good Times is my nick name for Sergio because he is always trying to sell me a copy of the little free newspaper called The Good Times. I get it. He needs to eat and he doesn't want to beg. I buy his newspaper occasionally and sometimes I just buy him lunch. But this is not about his financial situation. It's about his intuition.
If you walk down the west street and Good Times is walking in the opposite direction down the east street and you just catch a glimpse of him through those great trees, the ones that reach to heaven, you better decide quick if you want to buy a free newspaper, because Good Times knows you are there. He is a block away. He is walking in the opposite direction. He did not see you. But trust me, he knows you are there.
Turn your attention away as quick as you can. Focus on a bird or an old man's hat, or a kid on a bicycle. Anything, just focus quick. It is the only way to escape that newspaper.
It has come to my attention that the local people I have met all through Latin America have extremely good intuition. Much better than mine. They can feel your attention and they can feel your intention.
It's kind of like when you are standing in a room full of people and someone walks in the door and, even though you are facing away from them, all of a sudden you know someone is there and they are FOCUSED on you. You turn around and sure enough, you catch their eye.
We all have intuition. It is a natural part of our make up. But it seems people from more developed countries have forgotten in large part how to use it. We have forgotten so much of it, that many of us don't even believe in it.
Well, if you were wondering about the validity of intuition, go stand on the street by the park on Isla Colon and watch Good Times from a block away as he walks down the street, bobbing and nodding and taking off his hat to unsuspecting tourists and I can guarantee you this. In less time than you can twinkle an eye, he will be standing right in front of you. I hope you have a dollar!
Cheers!
laura
www.povertyprojectinternational.com
www.strangertruthtravel.com
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