HERE

This past week has been so real for me that life, living is almost palpable. From the death of a close family friend who was only 43 to the death of a community partner who I knew of only remotely, I have been reminded of the value of this life and also the uncertainty of it.

It’s Yom Kippur, the time when people of the Jewish faith take the time to reflect, fast and atone. Ramadan just ended, another period of reflection. For me I think I sense the energy in the Universe shifting, propelling us to stop for a moment and be humbled by all this splendor that surrounds us.

While in Costa Rica I found myself constantly waiting for the moment when I would find release. The truth is that when you wait for the big experience it almost never happens…for the moment is already HERE just waiting for you to just be.

Coming Back to Reality

I’m back and need time to reflect. I find myself wanting to stay in my room and not come out…but also find myself reaching for my smartphone wanting to see what others are doing and using it to write a post.

Coming back from any trip can be a little challenging, especially when it was a vacation where you were carefree and abided by a flexible agenda. Being separated from all things electronic for some time adds to both desires (wanting to be recluse and wanting to connect in some way).

Above all the need to have and live a balanced life screams once again at me. Listening to my body is also important. Right now sleep is very important. I just woke up from a well-needed nap. I came home close to 12am last night and then this morning showed my friend, who traveled with me, around the neighborhood and took her to the train station.

Now I feel the urge to do, and will do some yogic poses that may help ground me after a shower.

Pura Vida

In Costa Rica, leaving for the states tomorrow…

There were so many highlights from the trip some of them were in the moment frustrating, others were exhilarating. This experience reminds me so much of what my grandma would always say to me, “Girl, you a travela” meaning that I can make it through hard times due to resiliency that a person who frequently travels has. And I get what you mean grandma, I surely do.

My friend and I traveled to quite a few places in 5 days: Cahuita (Pronounced Ca-wee-ta), Puerto Viejo, Limon and now we are spending our last night in Costa Rica in San Jose.

If you have been to Costa Rica, or know a little bit about the country, you will notice that we stayed quite a bit on the Caribbean side of the country. Most of the people are descendants of Jamaicans who came over as workers over a century ago. As a Jamaican, it was an interesting experience seeing how big of an influence my homeland has made in Costa Rica especially on this side of the country.

There is more to write, but I have to get up early in the morning for my flight. However, here are some highlights that I may talk about in future posts:

1. Getting into Cahuita on the first day, Cahuita

2. Seeing two people I knew growing up, randomly, during my trip, USA and San Jose

3. The Ms. Black Beauty Pageant, Limon

4. Being a black tourist/traveler in a world more used to white tourists/travelers

5. Meeting some of the most amazing people from all the world

6. Using this strange keyboard to write this post. (Not really, but it is indeed very different from what I am used to using)

C’est La Vie

Not sure what’s going on with the WordPress application on my Blackberry… Know that several blog posts have not been entered and to my knowledge are no longer in existence. WTF?! So, whatever random thoughts I thought were important enough to share on my blog will not be known.

C’est la vie.

It is such a beautiful day today — it’s is 79 with a slight cool breeze. On a day like this I find myself not wanting to be in the office, but outside enjoying the sun and the wind. Days like this I feel closer to nature and more grounded, not sure why that is, but honestly it also reminds me of Istanbul and makes me want to be some way in Turkey. I’ll take anyplace close to the  Mediterranean Sea, actually – where the smell of the sea pulls you in and the sun kisses your skin so gently.

To Friendship…and Acceptance

I am at work listening to Eva Cassidy’s version of “Bridge over Troubled Waters” and I remember listening to it while traveling on the bus from Boston to New York, three years ago, crying. It is a song filled with honesty and loyalty, and I wanted oh so much for one person in particular to understand how much I wanted to be  there for them…with them.

Last week I had lunch with a friend, and I said that some friends get me and others do not, and he replied, “Why is it so important that the people who do not get you, get you?” I believe part of the lesson of this life is acceptance of others, yourself and just what is.  There are situations that no matter how hard you try will be what they will be. People will see you how they want to see you, and you will be who you will be. There will be people who accept you and love you because you are you and accept your flaws and you theirs. Those relationships are the one that matter in the end, because those are the ones that have a chance to be nurtured and grow.

Phenomenal Woman

I feel a surge of gratitude for a special someone at the moment and it is to my dear Aunt Pat. She is my biggest and probably the only fan of my blog… but I digress. I heart her, and her passion for change. I met her while visiting a friend on the West Coast, about five years ( five years ago?! wow!) ago. She is really my friend’s aunt, but I have adopted her as my own, or maybe it was the other way around?  We immediately connected on many different levels when we met. I am planning on visiting my friend and her family again in May and I cannot wait for the great conversations and the laughs. So, here’s to Aunt Pat — a phenomenal woman.

Happy Place

It’s 2:20 in the morning and  I am keeping myself up, although I know that I should have been in bed about three hours ago. What makes it worse is that I am suppose to be taking care of my body and nurturing it. This is not good, but I also wanted to quickly write this down and capture what I just experienced after thinking about, briefly, my trip to Istanbul and how happy I was. I am noticing that that experience is my go-to “happy place” in my mind…I wish I were there,but  I am also happy to here in this moment.

Things to do on Lazy Saturday…in DC

I woke up this morning and I felt rested, haven’t felt this way in a while. I am visiting a friend of mine, in DC, who just bought a house. When I first arrived, she was still at work and use the opportunity to visit places in Silver Spring I often frequented when I lived there: the used book store on Monifant, the natural hair store, across the street where I would get locs maintained.

Over the past two days I have been here, I have been to the Whole Food market where I used to shop for groceries, and one of the guys even noticed me and said, “How have you been?” This surprised me — we used to just say hi to one another and go on our way when I lived there. I noticed that Hollywood Videos is not there anymore, I used to rent my DVDs there…and the memories came to me of Borders and Moby Dick, Persian Restaurant, slow cooked food with a fast food appeal. Although my friend’s home is not in Silver Spring, we met each, for the first time when we both lived in the area and now she is one of my closest friends. So, it is no surprise that we spent some time there. It’s been great playing “visitor” having once called this place home.
As I write this, I am thankful for good friends and even for the breakfast I had this morning which included some of this fruit salad I made to accompany dinner two nights ago. This along with a cup of ginger tea and the book I bought from the used book store, Danticat’s “Farming of the bones” makes for a wonderful, beautiful, lazy Saturday morning in DC.

Escape

I am in Borders (the second time for the day) and I am typing on my Blackberry — how sheek! Lol. This is really amazing. Oh, the beauty of technology. So, before I continue with my thoughts, please excuse the errors! I am still getting a hang of this thing.

So, yes, I am in Borders. I felt the need to come here today: I was feeling restless and for some reason, reading through books in a place where I am surrounded by books makes me feel… better.

I have been looking through a lot of travel books — books on Paris, Paris, San Diego (planning a trip there soon), DC (planning a trip there, as well), Philly, Paris and now, as I type this, I am in the middle of Eyewitness Travel, New England.

Hmm, do you think I want to escape much?

Paris!

I want to go to Paris! I have yearnings for all things Parisan,lately…and this song by Corinne Bailey Rae makes me yearn for Paris oh so much more!