Last night I dreamt of San Pedro - I fantasized about a simpler, quieter life on a small island somewhere like Belize. While in San Pedro, I took long runs along the beach in the evening, the sky turning many shades of pastel blue and purple as I ran on and on. Maybe it was the tropical island breeze, or the sea air, or maybe it was the endorphins from my runner's high but I felt so, so happy! I especially loved the little roads that led to beach sand and blue water, and the abundance of colour everywhere I looked. I went out to the reef a few times and sunbathed on a far-away beach but mostly, my days were spent wandering around the island taking photos. It was a pleasant life for a little while. I wonder if I could give up city living for island living? I dream of it more and more.
Admittedly, I haven't quite worked out the practical details of moving to an island full of sunshine. Lately, there are aspects of living in a huge metropolis that I love (the art, culture, diversity, and vastness of the city), and some I feel to be less and less bearable (the long brutal winters and the daily grind...especially during our long brutal winters). In my fantasy, the sun is shining, I am happy, balanced, and relaxed. But like many fantasies, is my alternative scenario sweeter as fantasy than reality? All sorts of questions ensue at the idea of risking the life I know for something I've only briefly tasted but....
Recently, while traveling in Panama, I met a couple in their forties who left their conventional lives in Germany to realize their dream of cycling around the world. They had had enough of the 'hamster circuit', or rat-race, and after several years of careful planning, set out to do something truly fulfilling with their lives. I found the couple's courage to make a decisive radical break with a life that no longer suited them very inspiring.
Admittedly, I haven't quite worked out the practical details of moving to an island full of sunshine. Lately, there are aspects of living in a huge metropolis that I love (the art, culture, diversity, and vastness of the city), and some I feel to be less and less bearable (the long brutal winters and the daily grind...especially during our long brutal winters). In my fantasy, the sun is shining, I am happy, balanced, and relaxed. But like many fantasies, is my alternative scenario sweeter as fantasy than reality? All sorts of questions ensue at the idea of risking the life I know for something I've only briefly tasted but....
Recently, while traveling in Panama, I met a couple in their forties who left their conventional lives in Germany to realize their dream of cycling around the world. They had had enough of the 'hamster circuit', or rat-race, and after several years of careful planning, set out to do something truly fulfilling with their lives. I found the couple's courage to make a decisive radical break with a life that no longer suited them very inspiring.
