Thursday, January 29, 2009

Mexican Memories...





So I am almost home from my trip and I am loving the memories I have made this past week. Tiffany and I decided to escape for a week and leave for Mexico to clear our hearts, and have some fun. Traveling more was a goal of mine for ‘09 and I figured even if I wasn’t going far, going away was good enough for me. Cabo San Lucas was our destination and I am so glad we decided to take a week out of our lives to go away to enjoy ourselves.

Our trip to Cabo was so much fun. We packed a lot of adventure into a short period of time and got to do everything we had wanted. Our first day was amazing; relaxing on the beach, soaking up the sun, and to top it off getting a massage in the sand. I could not have designed it better, it was a wonderful way to start a week and a great sign of what was going to lie ahead. Throughout the rest of the week Tiffany and I became addicted to bartering at the markets (it has to be one of my all time favorite things to do), sleeping on the beach, trying out foreign tastes, meeting new people, and soothing our souls.

One of our bigger adventures was renting a car and touring the coast to see some of the other places we were hoping to visit. Starting in Cabo we headed up to Todos Santos where Tiff spotted a beautiful secluded beach right before we hit the town. As soon as we stepped on the sand we were as giddy as children. It was one of the most magnificent landscapes I have ever seen. I hope to have that moment forever etched in my mind. There was not a footprint in sight for miles and miles, we were all alone to soak up the beauty of "Gods incredible imagination". The water was rough and the air had a mild chill to it but the overall picture was incredible - it paralleled greatly to my life, or at least how I see it. As much as I loved it I was not fully enjoying it and Tiffany being the angel she is and knowing my heart the way she does pulled me into the water to splash and have FUN...to laugh. There are places in the world that speak to you and that happened to be a place for me; it told me I will be alright and reassured me that I am growing so beautifully. When we left there we headed to the town of Todos Santos, famous for the Eagles Hotel California and being dubbed the "magical town of art". We wandered the galleries and had lunch then kept going to La Paz. There we headed to a beach called Balandra (on the Sea of Cortez) and once again my breath was taken away. It was incredible, the water was turquoise blue and there were mountains surrounding us. Unfortunately it was very windy and much colder than the Pacific Ocean side. Our hearts were still at the first beach so rather than continuing over to San Jose we turned around to watch the sunset and fill our hearts with one more memory.

Another amazing day was visiting Lovers Island and Divorce beach; one of the few places in the world where two oceans meet. There is a beach connecting the two oceans, there are rocks covered in seals squealing away, and colorful fish swimming all around. We found a current where the two oceans collide and it was so powerful, I found it fascinating. Our last day in Cabo was my sisters birthday. We celebrated. I have been with my sister for almost every single birthday. Mom’s conventions were typically during Tiff’s birthday so my parents would be out of town and Tiffany and I would celebrate together. Although it is her day, it is a special day for me as well. It floods my mind with memories of her growing up and the celebrations we had together, usually just the two of us. It was so special for me to be with her again this year. I was so proud of her for making her day a day to relax and have fun. I know her heart was heavy, all it took at times was looking at here from across the beach to know the birthday wish she was dreaming about, but she did it, she pulled though her first birthday as a Mom in a graceful yet powerful way. We started the day with a few gifts and then headed out on our snorkeling tour and whale watch. It was such a fun afternoon. The whales was all encompassing for me. I found them absolutely captivating. Although I have seen whales many times before, it was the first time that I had ever taken the time to think about the magnitude of there size or the size of the ocean for that matter. Our snorkeling was a blast, aside from the bread the tour guides were throwing at us so that the seagulls would swarm all around us, including on our heads. It is true that some memories are ingrained in your mind forever because although snorkeling was good, it did not even compare to snorkeling as a child with my Dad and sister in Hawaii. When we got back on the boat the birthday celebration began and although my sister isnt known to throw back the tour guides were not taking no for an answer. For the rest of the afternoon we hit up the markets, went for a delicious seafood dinner, and had our first and only night at the clubs (and yes I even danced). It was a fabulous way to end our holiday and a precious twenty-four hours that lifted my heart.

I am so happy that I decided to take this trip. It is amazing how much growing can be done in a matter of one week. It is equally amazing to find out that you can love someone so much deeper after loving them already for twenty-three years. I found a renewed passion and I am excited to get back home to work on it. I felt my heart lift and I am so indebted that God choose now to help me along with that gift. I felt relaxed, re-energized, and really and truly enjoyed myself...it was wonderful.

If I could take away one thing from Mexico it would be that I am blessed. I am blessed to live in a country that is beautiful, clean, and safe. I am blessed to have clean water. I am blessed to have the ability to pick up and travel essentially whenever I want. I am grateful that I have the gift to choose my life path and my career based on what my heart desires. I am blessed to have a supportive family - to have two parents and two sisters that are my greatest gift from above. I am just blessed period.

No comments: