Aruba - "one happy island" as the tagline says. Mon amour and I are on vacation here - our first real vacation together. It's been five days now, and I am amazed at how the island life has transformed my stressed out, overwhelmed self into a calm, natural, and truly happy me. The transformation some sun, sea and love can make...
I think it is all too easy to get caught up in the corporate world, working from 8am to 6:30pm, and forget that we NEED nature in our lives. The insane colors here--bright turquoise water contrasted against pearly white sand; neon green lizards against a blazing pink sunset. They're enough to make you "ah" at the wonder that is the world around us.
And those are just sights - let alone the refreshing feeling of floating around the warm Caribbean water, the sharp taste of salt on your lips. I love letting my hair go wild and curly in the humidity and never changing out of my bathing suit. I don't think I've ever done that for so many days in a row.
It is good to explore and remember that there are other ways to live. I hadn't even used my passport since returning from France four years ago. But I am determined to spend more time traveling and exploring. I love it so much, and what good is all the hard work without the reward of a vacation doing what you love?
I had such a different mindset when I came home from living in France. And I think that mindset faded away with all the craziness of life and work. But this week has reminded me of the importance of slowing down and truly enjoying life. I'm lucky to be with someone who shares that desire to travel and explore, and I can't wait for all of our adventures together.
Maybe it's cliche to have these realizations on vacation on an island, but hey you have to take realizations as they come right? Last night we sat in the hot tub on the roof of our hotel and just took in the beauty of the stars blanketing the whole island, and I felt the kind of peace and happiness that I want to feel every day. So when stress creeps in, I'm going to go back to that moment and just let it all go.
Because after all, life is beautiful.
<3 Lyssa
