Have You been to Paradise?

I have—a few times—in the company of BFFs. This paradise is in the middle of nowhere, somewhere out there.  But it’s close enough to everywhere. 

It’s aptly called Paradiso, the Italian word for paradise or heaven, originating from ancient Greek that means a place of great beauty, peace, and joy. 

It is owned by a former colleague, who, after we parted ways, went on to head more organizations and made them grow. Yes, he has a green thumb—skill in making anything he lays his hands on to flourish. 

We fondly call him BoyP. He has recently decided to leave the rat race and concentrate on his bonsai hobby in a place he set up just for this purpose. And what a hobby it is! 

His exquisite bonsai collection is strewn all over Paradiso, on which sits a huge manor, a swimming pool, a life-size cauldron, plus all other amenities one can find in plush resorts, except that this paradise is warmer, more personal, and allows for intimate fellowships with friends now separated by time and space.  

Our most recent trip to Paradiso was another grace-filled day. It was organized by another former colleague, Bing, who had wanted long-time, scattered friends to re-connect, meet again, bond again, catch up, and reminisce about those precious ancient days, even if it was just for a few hours. 

Paradiso, a place of great beauty, peace, and joy, more than lived up to its name all over again.