Day 675: Pure Abundance

Good LORD, it's been over two months since I wrote. Of course I can't even begin to describe the richness I've experienced in all that time. What a silly phrase - I can and have begun to do exactly that - I just can't tell you all the details. And it's in the details that the joy is.

This blog has nagged at my belly for all of those two months - this desire to write and the resistance of it, or the lack of it, for whatever reason. Gratitude makes life richer. I was discussing this with lovely, lovely Toon (what a great name... all the better for the spelling of it, as it's pronounced more like 'Tone' is pronounced in English). A daily practice entices our perception towards delight and appreciation, relishment and savouring of the little wonders of what life is made of. 

I am full of gratitude today for the breadth and depth of the fine people I have the pleasure to know. I'm overjoyed that wherever I decide to be in the world, I have friends nearby. That sounds like an exaggeration - there are so many places I have never been and know nothing about - but from this trip I know that friends are just waiting to be made. There will be many acquaintances on the way, and there will always be too many wonderful connections to nurture to the full. This feels like pure abundance, in human form, in the shape of love and 'intercambio' - I dislike this word, and its translation, 'exchange', even more, but I enjoy disliking it, so let's just go with that. 

Beans held high for Kath Jones

Today, I'm blessed with Aude, my Quebecoise inspiration - a mix of sweet, strong, creative, practical, knowledge-hungry and intuitive. And funny. Very funny. Such a gift to see her again. And Coia - a wiry little firecracker of a Catalunyan ninja, engineer, footballer, traveller, passionate arguer of interesting points and preparer of shit-hot pollo apanado. Funny as fuck too. Then there's Carlos, who smiles with his eyes as he gets on with fixing, clearing, sawing and running a hostel mostly single-handed, a passionate dancer with a soft spot for a spot of rum and more than that, the enjoying of people. 

And Negrito the little black dog with pleading, soft brown eyes and a hole in his head (stitched up, thanks to Tia Meli). I met a girl dog in town today too. I gave her a little attention (all dogs need some love) and she followed me all the way from town. She wanted to stay, but Negrito was having none of it. Fair enough. If you can't protect your territory when you're a dog, I'm not sure when you can.

And that Kath Jones, my constant sister and companion on this journey. It would have been a lonelier place without you, Kath Jones. I give thanks for you and your excellent face, sister. And for vegetables. And spit.

Oh, and what about that BRILLIANT Jo Bennett, and delicious Natasha, Mel with her motherly loveliness, Pedro, all caring Chantal & Tony, Toooooon, Abha, Radek, Tina and Leo, Santiago, Huanita, Aime, Audrius, Roman, Natalia, Tea, Naranda Diana, Katy, Pietro... the lovely family with two girls and another on the way, the very sweet kids in the hostel here, who would come down and beg coca cola and strawberries before their parents got up. 

Oh and the utter feast we had last night! Overdid the shopping for six of us by buying a chicken and making a huge soup (huge spoon!), so we invited the parents and aunt of the lovely children too. There was me, Aude, Carlos & Coia, the ninja hostel team who've been sorting this place out and filling it with love, an American couple and the Ecuadorian family. We feasted and talked and translated and made this hostel feel like home. And I got to cook. Such a great pleasure. Such a blessing. 

These are just a few of the things and people that have kissed my experience over the last few days and weeks. This is where I can honestly say I haven't even begun to tell you about the rest. I genuinely haven't. Pure abundance, people-flavoured, nature-flavoured, butterfly-shaped and blown onto my skin by the wind.