As I sit at the airport about to leave Mazatlan, I am definitely filled with gratitude mingled with a touch of sadness. I can’t believe that it was almost 6 months ago that Greg and I arrived, white-skinned and tired! Today I am leaving brown-skinned with a far more laid-back approach to life. It has been such an incredible time here on so many levels; it is indeed a time of reflection and gratitude.
I have certainly learned that there’s not much that’s really worth stressing about. People jay-walk as a matter of course, (I now do it all the time) cars cut each other off without even thinking, buses careen down the street with brakes squealing and young kids perform flame-throwing antics at an intersection and…nobody blinks an eye.
Buses don’t honk at the irresponsible pedestrian, nobody hollers or gives drivers the finger for cutting them off and people give the flame-thrower a few coins in appreciation. Life is definitely taken a whole lot less seriously here. It’s been refreshing.
I have come to appreciate at a whole new level that there is no point getting upset about what we cannot change. I went in for my first dentist appointment this month after a 45 minute bus trip through a part of Mazatlan I didn’t know. I found the dentist’s office, explained in Spanish that I had broken a tooth while in Vancouver and it needed a filling, only to have her explain that she had just run out of filling material. Her very sweet and innocent question to me was: “Can you come back tomorrow?” I nearly burst out laughing. It had taken almost 3 hours out of my jam-packed day to have her tell me that she didn’t have what she needed to fix my tooth. Wasn’t she a dentist for heaven’s sake? However, there was no point stressing about it so I simply arranged to come back - three more times to be exact for all of the dental work I needed, about eight hours worth. The bill for everything was $220.
I am certainly grateful for the incredible kindnesses that have been shown me. While riding the bus one day a couple of weeks ago, I left a bag behind with a dress and an expensive pair of shoes. One of the passengers must have noticed and the bus driver stopped the bus and honked to get my attention. I had already crossed the street but turned back when I heard the honking as buses so rarely honk their horns! He held up my precious bag of belongings and a passenger met me on the sidewalk with it. Needless to say, I was thrilled to have my bag back. It’s been wonderful to experience the goodness and honesty of peop le, even when they have a lot less than I do.
I have to admit that I love the fact that when you walk past a condo building under construction, and there are plenty of them around, lots of the men working above stop and whistle! I haven’t been whistled at since I was a teenager and I don’t even remember it happening very often then! At 46, I love it! It’s fun and innocent as they practice their English and call out, “Good morning lady!”
There is a lovely gentleness about the Mexicans that I really admire. Their strong sense of family is beautiful to see. I have loved watching the families gather on the beach in front of my condo every weekend and spend time with their children, having their picnic and listening to the children shriek with delight as they play in the waves.
It’s certainly been fun to connect with the foreigners that ride the buses. Some of them look quite out of place in their expensive jewelry and clothes. I’m sure that at home they drive very nice cars but here they ride the bus with the locals for eighty cents. I love it! The camaraderie amongst the foreigners is most delightful as I can get on a bus, spot the tourists and have a great conversation, helping somebody out or sharing my experience of living here.
What a joy to experience so many ways to give back. Many of the foreigners at the condo really go above and beyond for the employees and other locals. They support them in their arts and crafts; they give them clothes and household items, sometimes even bringing back things that the locals want from the States I gave away a bunch of clothes that were too big (yeah!) to my lovely housekeeper which felt so good. I have brought back MP3 players and digital cameras for some of the great employees here. Many who live in the building recently organized a massive party for all the children of the employees and fed over 150 people with games and gifts for everyone, a ll supported by our contributions.
It probably helps a lot that people on holidays are in a good mood. I have felt so blessed to be surrounded by people who are either short-term tourists or are here for part of the year. Between the happy foreigners and the delightful locals, it is definitely easy to be happy. If I ever doubted that your environment affects your moods, I have had it confirmed here. I am now a fervent sun-worshipper. I just love waking up almost every morning to sunshine and blue sky. I absolutely love the warm, sunny weather here and know that I will make Mexico “home” for some time to come, in part because of the tremendous amount of sunshine they get!
Despite a very busy schedule, I have regularly taken time to sit and watch the sunset, something I never seemed to have had time for before now. I have gone for frequent walks along the beach and taken time out to just sit and be silent as I watch the ocean and birds. It is so peaceful to just “be” in beautiful surroundings, listening to the ocean, and appreciating how blessed I truly am. Making my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health a priority really has made a huge difference.
And I have never forgotten my experience with Gloria, the Mexican woman who lived in shambles and was so hospitable, kind and proud of what she had accomplished, caring for her numerous grandchildren. I often have thought of her when I was cursing the hot water that never got really hot or the cold water that never got really cold. I remembered to just be grateful for the running water, no matter what the temperature! Gloria is one of my stories in my new book.
So yes, it has been a very hectic six months. Yes, there is still a part of me that longs for a “real” sabbatical, but I feel excited about the future like I haven’t felt for a long time. There’s a feeling in the air that very good things and very big things are going to come fast and furious now.
One of the things that I encourage my clients to do is to say YES to the Universe. Part of the reason that people don’t have the kind of amazing life they desire is because they haven’t accepted the bigness of it, the powerfulness of it and the uncertainty of what’s in store for them. They want to know all the answers before they surrender. It doesn’t work that way. Say YES first and then watch what incredible things come your way.
Where will I be a year from now? I have NO idea! How exciting is that! I do know that it will be absolutely perfect if these past six months are any indication.
I also know that the four months back in Canada will fly by very quickly. I am looking forward to seeing some friends, my sweetheart Greg and getting some business looked after. However, I am very aware that I am leaving part of my heart in
To Your Outrageous Success,
Jan
Be The First To Comment
Sorry the comment area are closed