I absolutely love your story, man. My first time with MJ was in Maracaibo but the people I were with didn't explain very well how to smoke it and I got burned. I reckon it was the plant telling me it wasn't my time. Years later, I got together with some cousins and we baked a brownie. I had a paranoid bout walking alone between their house in Puente Hierro all the way up La Baralt, but I understood something about fear then, and how my mind processes it. The plant started teaching me right away and I'm so grateful for that.
Since then, my love for it only grew, but I still hadn't learned necessary respect. I only did that after paying some prices and getting some wake-up calls. Then I started praying to it, treating it with reverence, and just like you say, the plant graced me with wonder and beauty beyond description.
I'm glad that you've come to grow so much with it as well. Perhaps we'll soon be able to share a joint and talk more about it. Be blessed, bro. May the Queen bestow blessings of Wisdom and Light upon you!
Thanks for the reply man! Yeah it has been a long road of learning with the plant. And yeah, hope there is the opportunity to share some quality time after this craziness passes.