Embracing Surrender: Life Lessons from Barcelona and Rome
I answered my phone one warm July afternoon to my bestie sharing some exciting news: the Kundalini Yoga program we both enjoy was planning a winter solstice event in Rome. She mentioned, almost in passing, that she wanted to go, but I immediately felt something stir deep within me—I knew this trip was meant for me. Within minutes, we both had purchased tickets, driven by excitement and just a pinch of FOMO due to limited spots.
In that moment, I was transported back to a memory of sitting on a bench overlooking the Ligurian Sea in Manarola, Cinque Terre. It was March 2023, and my bestie and I were on a backpacking trip that became a pivotal moment in my development as a woman and a mother. That journey was a rebirth of my spirit, a chapter of rediscovery and empowerment. I prayed that this new trip would be just as nourishing, though little did I know it would serve as a death cycle instead—a letting go of control, expectations, and plans, teaching me the deep life lesson of surrender.
Surrendering to the Unknown
The theme of this trip became “surrender” even before the plane took off. With no strict agenda, only intuitive hits of places to visit, and my bestie’s boundary of staying in each city for a full week, we built a loose outline: landing in Rome and flying straight to Barcelona for a week, then returning to Rome to explore, meet up with friends, and attend the Kundalini Immersion event.
But life had other plans. Nearly every step of the journey was met with challenges that forced me to surrender and trust the process, no matter how uncomfortable. From delayed landings and impossible layovers to my bestie falling ill on day two (and remaining sick for most of the trip), each moment stretched my patience and resilience. My credit card stopped working. A transportation strike threw off our plans. Our friend from Vienna couldn’t make it. My family back home dealt with a crisis when our car completely broke down with my husband and son in it.
And then there was the night we faced an unexpected housing debacle in Rome. Due to an Airbnb issue, we had to scramble to find new accommodations late into the night. Exhausted and emotionally drained, we navigated unfamiliar streets, a different language, and limited resources to secure a safe place to stay. This was surrender in action—letting go of frustration and focusing on solutions. These moments, though overwhelming, became opportunities to lean into discomfort, adapt, and find beauty in the chaos. This journey truly embodied embracing surrender: life lessons from Barcelona and Rome, teaching me to let go and trust in the face of every obstacle.
Finding Beauty in the Hard
As hard as it was, the trip was equally breathtaking. Barcelona’s vibrant energy wrapped me in its arms, offering a sense of wonder and connection despite the challenges. Walking through the city, I felt my father-in-law’s presence so vividly. He had passed away the previous December, and one of my last memories with him was sharing stories and photos from my Europe trip earlier that year.
He had once traveled through Europe after graduating from architecture school, and Barcelona had been one of his favorite places. I could still hear his voice as he described the art of the city. To stand before the Sagrada Família, to trace the intricate curves of Casa Batlló, and to wander through the whimsical wonderland of Parc Güell felt like stepping into his memories. Each building was a love letter to light, color, and form—an embodiment of his passion and vision. In those moments, I felt close to him again, as if he were guiding me through the city he so admired.
My father-in-law was a man of ambition and vision, and his final months, marked by the aftermath of a major stroke, were a testament to the power of surrender. He spent his last days letting go—of control, of independence, and of life as he once knew it. Standing in the places he loved, holding space for grief and beauty, I realized that surrender isn’t just about letting go; it’s about making room for what is to come.
Sweetness in Unexpected Places
Through the struggles, there was a surprising sweetness. Despite everything, I marveled at the richness of culture, the history woven into the cobblestone streets, and the small joys—friendship, chocolate, bread, music, and the simple act of being present. The Kundalini Immersion event in Rome brought the trip full circle, offering me space to process the lessons of surrender and to find peace amid the turbulence.
This trip was a shedding of the self, a death of control and expectation, and an invitation to embrace what is. It was a reminder that life isn’t about avoiding hardship but about finding beauty within it.
To every mother reading this, I know I am not alone in being served a platter of surrender, whether we like it or not. Motherhood itself is an endless dance of letting go—of expectations, of perfectionism, and sometimes even of control. But when we surrender, we make space for something greater: connection, growth, and unexpected beauty.
Relatable Reflections
As I reflect on this journey, I hold onto the wisdom of surrender. To surrender is to trust—to trust that even in the hardest moments, there is light to be found. For me, that light shone in the art and architecture of Barcelona, in the resilience I found within myself, and in the quiet moments of remembering my father-in-law’s laughter and love.
And so I invite you, dear reader, to find the sweetness in your own moments of surrender. What might you discover when you let go?
(Stay tuned for more reflections from the Kundalini Immersion event!)
<3 Dena
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