Each morning begins with the sound of chickens – roosters actually.
One begins to herald the sun sometime around 3:30 or so and soon several chime
in creating a call that travels the neighborhood like a game of Ollie-Ollie-All-In-Free. I have to smile
even if it awakens me. It reminds me of Kauai. A few days ago I opened my front
door just before dawn to the sound of an owl greeting me, Good morning!
Dawn is a precious time here in Todos Santos. Most people
like to watch the sunset each day, but I prefer the sunrise. There is something
so fresh, so filled with potential, so earthy about it. It’s a delight to
awaken in the dark and lie in bed looking out the window at the star-filled
sky. Slipping out of the sheets and into a light shift, I pad out to the living
room while opening windows and doors to let in the cool air. With a cup of tea
and a lit candle the new day is honored with quiet reflection, until the sun
begins its ascent into the clear blue sky and everything heats up. The doves
begin to coo and the geckos give their farewell chatter just as the line of
tall fan palms at the back of the property turn from dark silhouettes, to
golden orange, to brilliant green. So far it has not failed to amaze me. I
cherish each moment as a gift from the Universe; wow another day, a new adventure.
That’s not to say that this move has been stress-free. As
much as I often try and pretend otherwise, that wouldn’t be honest. Every so
often I have to stop, and admit that fear of change does show up, a new
country, a new language, new friends, new, new new. Sure we’ve been in Abreojos
on and off for a couple of years, but this feels more real. This isn’t a beach
house where we can be isolated from the populace if we choose. It’s got a day
to day life that just isn’t there in Abre.
Or maybe it’s just that I am choosing that here.
Then there’s the whole house to get settled and stocked,
register with the power companies, a phone/internet line to get installed, Mexican
bank account to open, shopping to be done and all this in another language. (Keep opening Jill. Keep letting it all in,
don’t shut down, just go with the flow.) Our Spanish is improving every
day, and when it comes to construction or work related conversations Robert is
getting pretty darn efficient! And I seem to have hit a point where, even if I
am butchering the language, I’ll try anyway. For so long I really tried to
speak it only correctly, but I see that it held me back and I approached it
with fear. Something shifted for me this past summer, I began to let my mind go
and let my heart speak. And you know what? It works!
Leaving Abreojos our caravan of 2 trucks and a trailer spent
3 days getting down here, though it’s only a 10 ½ hour drive. But between a
flat on the trailer the 1st day (everything was fine and numerous
people stopped to offer assistance) and then a long delay south of Loreto as
the highway was closed due to an accident, we just decided not to push. When we pulled up to our new home there was a bottle of French
champagne and mineral water in the cold fridge with 2 crystal glasses, courtesy
of our wonderful real estate agent, Alvaro Colindres. I love
French champagne…..
Amidst boxes and disarray we polished off the bottle that
evening, after walking to the beach for sunset. After all, we couldn’t find the
stopper for the bottle and heaven forbid it go bad!! Within 2 days or so
everything was pretty cleared up – except the extra bedroom/catchall. Then we
went to Cabo for supplies and began the whole process again. We’ll be going
back and forth quite a bit to start, I can tell. Thank goodness for Costco!
But we’re here. We’re going for it. Things arise that
flummox me and make me anxious, but if I stop and allow it, breath and let the
emotions flow, I know the answers will come, somehow. The people in Todos Santos have been more than
welcoming. From neighbors, to shopkeepers, to baristas everyone has offered
assistance and we are so grateful.
 |
| photo by Alvaro Colindres |
This beautiful adobe home is fast endearing itself to our
hearts. It cools us in the heat of the day, and warms us during the evening
chill. It asks nothing of us but our authenticity, our participation in making
it and the surrounding soon-to be-garden a space of love and peace. I
think we’re going to get along very very well.
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