Hola...
Here in Mexico, Christmas is a lot about noise - singing, bells ringing constantly from the village churches, loud music blaring from boom-boxes on the corners (all night), and, of course, fireworks! The fireworks usually begin for any saint's day in the middle of the night (maybe 5 or so in the morning) and are meant to keep the evil spirit's away. The ones for Christmas Eve were especially loud and I believe were coming from high atop the mountain - probably more like small cannons. How they get them up there is a mystery as the elevation begins at 5,000 ft and goes up to about 7-8,000 feet.
In any event, I have become accustomed to the sounds - especially of the fireworks - and have decided they are simply a new-type of alarm clock! So, my mornings begin about 5:30 or 6:00am as I welcome the dawn of the newness that will emerge.
As there is a very large ex-pat community here in Ajijic (both Canadian and American), it is easy to celebrate this holiday in familiar ways, including turkey dinner with all the trimmings and Bing Crosby singing White Christmas from the ipod. My roommate and I had an open house and someone even brought us a fruitcake!
A deep feeling of gratitude is wrapped around my heart. To be enveloped with such physical beauty - the mountains, flowers, lake - and the warmth of new friends brings full circle the depth of our unity and connectedness as we live and express this One Life. God is gracious...God is good....all the time.
You are loved,
Lynn
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Feliz Navidad
Blessings of joy from Mexico - Ajijic, Jalisco - to be exact.
It is a beautiful 70+ degrees, with clear skies and blooming flowers. Our nights have been a bit chillly (high 30's) and since houses here do not have heat, I was grateful I brought a couple of cashmere sweaters and my sweats.
The past month has been a grand adventure. Driving down took 5 days (the first being the longest - as it was the Sunday after Thanksgiving and people between San Francisco and LA drove rather than take airplanes to visit families. Interstate 5 was quite literally a parking lot, with the speed no more than 30 for about 2 1/2 hours. Took ll 1/2 hours to just get to San Bernardino!) The terrain from Nogales south was beautiful and I am so very grateful I drove. Especially from Mazatlan over to Guadalajara through the Sierra Madre mountains - simply gorgeous.
A friend accompanied me and was my fantastic navigator. I had downloaded a mile-by-mile guide from a website called, "On The Road In ...." (in this case Mexico) and it was simply invaluable as it told us of upcoming sights, pertinent turns, Pemex gas station locations, the OXXO (kind of like a 7-ll), etc. etc. Even a description of the terrain we were nagivating through replete with locations of a specific and colorful cemetery. Along with this info, were the locations and approximate cost of the tolls - we only took the toll roads, which were excellent. Knowing about the tolls ahead of time made it so much easier to have the pesos ready - and there were many, many tolls, each increasing in amount the closer to Guadalajara we drove.
Met a road "angel" in Mazatlan prior to the drive through Guadalajara and I will be forever grateful. He pointed out the single most inportant turn we had to make to avoid driving thru the middle of the city - which we found - and so driving thru GDL was very easy, just like driving in any other major city in rush hour traffic. Once I passed the airport, I knew where I was and felt "home".
The adjustment to being in a foreign country hit me about a week after I arrived when my friend returned home. I felt very sad and suddently thought, "Oh My - What Have I done?" Plus my body needed to release all the tension from the 5 days of driving, I needed to adjust to the 5,000ft elevation and my body was working overtime, which was energy depleting, I have a new roommate (someone I had just met a couple of months before), the apartment needed a thorough cleaning, the food was different, etc. etc. So, finally, I gave myself permission to simply BE - to be with what I was feeling and experiencing - to cry a little - to talk with my spiritual practitioner - to make many Vonage calls home to friends and family and slowly, my attitude and feelings have begun to shift.
It is so lovely here and today, I just sat in a chair next to this huge lake contemplating the beauty, peace and tranquility of life and feeling the warmth of the sun on my body. Feels pretty much like Heaven.
Will write more consistently now that I am close to getting my internet connection up and running on a regular basis.
In the interim, be well, smile and spread kindness wherever you are....you are the GIFT.
Love to you,
Lynn
It is a beautiful 70+ degrees, with clear skies and blooming flowers. Our nights have been a bit chillly (high 30's) and since houses here do not have heat, I was grateful I brought a couple of cashmere sweaters and my sweats.
The past month has been a grand adventure. Driving down took 5 days (the first being the longest - as it was the Sunday after Thanksgiving and people between San Francisco and LA drove rather than take airplanes to visit families. Interstate 5 was quite literally a parking lot, with the speed no more than 30 for about 2 1/2 hours. Took ll 1/2 hours to just get to San Bernardino!) The terrain from Nogales south was beautiful and I am so very grateful I drove. Especially from Mazatlan over to Guadalajara through the Sierra Madre mountains - simply gorgeous.
A friend accompanied me and was my fantastic navigator. I had downloaded a mile-by-mile guide from a website called, "On The Road In ...." (in this case Mexico) and it was simply invaluable as it told us of upcoming sights, pertinent turns, Pemex gas station locations, the OXXO (kind of like a 7-ll), etc. etc. Even a description of the terrain we were nagivating through replete with locations of a specific and colorful cemetery. Along with this info, were the locations and approximate cost of the tolls - we only took the toll roads, which were excellent. Knowing about the tolls ahead of time made it so much easier to have the pesos ready - and there were many, many tolls, each increasing in amount the closer to Guadalajara we drove.
Met a road "angel" in Mazatlan prior to the drive through Guadalajara and I will be forever grateful. He pointed out the single most inportant turn we had to make to avoid driving thru the middle of the city - which we found - and so driving thru GDL was very easy, just like driving in any other major city in rush hour traffic. Once I passed the airport, I knew where I was and felt "home".
The adjustment to being in a foreign country hit me about a week after I arrived when my friend returned home. I felt very sad and suddently thought, "Oh My - What Have I done?" Plus my body needed to release all the tension from the 5 days of driving, I needed to adjust to the 5,000ft elevation and my body was working overtime, which was energy depleting, I have a new roommate (someone I had just met a couple of months before), the apartment needed a thorough cleaning, the food was different, etc. etc. So, finally, I gave myself permission to simply BE - to be with what I was feeling and experiencing - to cry a little - to talk with my spiritual practitioner - to make many Vonage calls home to friends and family and slowly, my attitude and feelings have begun to shift.
It is so lovely here and today, I just sat in a chair next to this huge lake contemplating the beauty, peace and tranquility of life and feeling the warmth of the sun on my body. Feels pretty much like Heaven.
Will write more consistently now that I am close to getting my internet connection up and running on a regular basis.
In the interim, be well, smile and spread kindness wherever you are....you are the GIFT.
Love to you,
Lynn
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