Thankful in Tecolote, Baja Sur

Just a few minutes before the sun rises, I wake up. I don’t know when I learned this trick but I’m pretty good at it. My internal clock is more precise than ever! I love peeking through the window first thing in the morning, before my eyes are fully open, to see what color the sky is, knowing it’s going to be a rainbow of soft pastels, and any second I will get to watch the sun explode over the horizon, splashing bright orange and yellow over everything. The timing, the promise of a new day, inspires such a sense of possibility and I’m instantly happy to be awake. I live on a beach in México with my boyfriend and our cat!

While Michael makes us coffee, I shake the sand out of the sheets and sweep the floor of the van. Cleaning helps to clear the cobwebs of the mind and I always feel better when things are tidied, fresh, and orderly. When my morning chores are done I’m ready for an adventure! We can ride bikes, we can swim, we can read, we can kayak, we can hike, we can do anything we want!

Carnival, La Paz

Waterslide right into the ocean! Unfortunately the park is closed in the winter.

Beautiful coral shrine

Home!

Mealtimes are the best. I love eating; besides, all our meals are prepared and eaten outside, barefoot and often barely clothed. With no schedule to keep, cooking is leisurely and generates a feeling of grounded-ness. Eating food that we prepared together, or for each other, cultivates gratitude and I’m so thankful for the time to enjoy it. MMMmmmmm…more avocados! And, I love my titanium Noveske Battlespork, and any opportunity to slurp something from its tines.

I love my spork! I love avocados!

Bahia Balandra

Getting dressed means putting on my bikini. Being “ready” means I’ve put sunscreen on my face and brushed my teeth and drank some water. I walk into the ocean, so soft and warm and clear, and I don’t miss faucets with running water. I’m a mermaid, a beautiful mermaid, every day! We can play Frisbee in the ocean and I actually DIVE for the catch, not because I even care if I catch it, I’m not really into games like most people, but because I want to splash under and do a couple of breast strokes along the sandy bottom before coming back up, grabbing the disc and yelling triumphantly, “I got it!”

Sophie. Everything about Sophie brings a smile to my face. The way she sits and watches the sunrise with us, her face turned to the sun and her eyes barely open, basking in the warmth, so calm and content. When she gets fired up and hops over the sand dunes hunting lizards and, sometimes, her own shadow, we laugh and open beers, and follow her around, amazed at her prowess and showmanship. The trust between the three of us is sacred. We let her be free and we watch her and let her know when she goes too far, and in return, she sticks around. When she senses danger, a dog or a moving truck, she jets back to the safety of the van, much to my delight. It’s special being confined to small spaces with those you love and feeling free and protected. I’ll never forget these days, I’m so thankful for all of them.

What are the little things that you find yourself being thankful for? 

Playa Tecolote