A Love That Crossed Oceans

Notes from 53G

I don’t have a daughter, but if I did, I would want her to have a mum as wonderfully thoughtful as yours.

On the next flight I take, I’ll be doing this again — although within the commercialisation aspect of it, which I find a little cheap.

My destination is Santa Monica. At LAX, I will meet the love of my life.

I live between London and New York. I am British. She is Estonian, born and raised in the Soviet Union. When she was a little girl, she took part in the Singing Revolution — when the people of Estonia came together every evening to sing, and through that peaceful act they successfully achieved their independence from the Soviet Union. That was only 35 years ago.

Now, she lives in small-town Maryland, reading a completely different life to mine, working for the Governor of Maryland, and also a cancer survivor.

How did we meet? In Sydney, Australia. We were both part of a delegation to the United States National Governors’ Association. From the moment we met, we both realised we had spent our lives searching for each other.

Our weekend in Santa Monica will be our first chance to enjoy each other’s company without the distractions of family, friends, and work.

What words of wisdom can I give to a little five-year-old girl with a strong mother? Live in the moment as much as you can. Life is getting longer, but less thoughtful and more disconnected. Talk. Experience life the way we did.

It’s perversely ironic that the world is getting smaller, yet as it shrinks, we all seem to become less and less connected to each other. And remember, life is about shared problems as much as it is about success. Have fun. It’s all out there for you.

Hi there,

Your story gave me goosebumps. To think that your partner grew up in such a historic time, singing for freedom in Estonia and that your paths later crossed in Sydney is nothing short of extraordinary. It shows how love finds its way across borders, cultures, and even revolutions.

I love what you wrote about “living in the moment.” It’s so easy to get lost in distractions, but your story reminds us that when we truly connect ( with a person or even with ourselves ) everything else fades away.

I got a little emotional reading your words — especially when you said that if you had a daughter, you’d want her to have a mum as wonderful and thoughtful as me. That really touched me. I’ll remember those words, and one day when my daughter is older and can understand more, I’ll tell her exactly what you wrote. What a gift to be able to pass on to her.

I also loved your words of wisdom for the little 5-year-old girl with a strong mother. As her mum, I can say it means so much that a stranger on a plane saw that strength in me. Sometimes, as parents, we wonder if we’re doing enough — and then someone like you reminds us we are. THANK YOU

I hope Santa Monica gave you both the space to enjoy that connection, fully and freely. Thank you for letting us glimpse into a love story that is both deeply personal and also tied to the bigger history of our world.

— Anita

Love has no borders. It weaves through history, geography, and even hardship. This story shows us that even though the world may feel smaller and more “connected” through technology, true connection still happens in real, unfiltered moments and just like Estonia’s Singing Revolution, sometimes the simplest acts ( raising your voice, sharing your truth, being present with someone ) can change everything.

Words can stay with us for a lifetime. A kind sentence, spoken or written by a stranger, can one day become the wisdom we pass down to our children. That’s the magic of human connection: you never know how deeply your words will touch someone, or how long they will echo in their life.

Have you ever received words from a stranger that stayed with you for years?

Share your story with us on Instagram: @anita.yourskystory or at www.yourskystory.com.