12 November 2012

Cabo - Day 1


Nov 3, 2012

This was our third annual trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico so I decided to keep a journal of our travels. Jimmy and I invited his cousin Antwain and wife Shawntee this year for a week's stay in a condo near the marina.

We arrived safely to the Los Cabos, Mexico airport at about 11 am Saturday morning. We were in the new terminal which means we de-boarded onto a jet bridge instead of directly on tarmack like we have in previous years. We sped through customs and tried to avoid the throw-up of guys trying to sell or sign us up for something. It’s quite overwhelming if you’ve never experienced it. I imagine it’s like being on the New York Stock Exchange floor but everyone is yelling at you. “What hotel...you need a taxi...you need a shuttle...my friend what activities are you doing on your vacation...and on and on.” Thankfully, we’re pros at this now so we made it through unscathed. We were supposed to meet Jimmy’s cousin at the bar outside of the terminal. However, we didn’t count on them flying into the old terminal which was about 1/2 mile walk from where we were. Instead of making the jaunt, we decided to go pick up the rental car and then swing back over and pick them up. 

Tourism in Cabo must be picking up because Dollar was the most crowded I’ve ever seen it. Our tiny commuter bus was packed so we positioned Jimmy right at the door where he could jump out quickly and hopefully get a good spot in line. Despite this strategy, we still ended up being there 30-45 minutes before pulling out of the lot. While I was waiting, I ended up meeting the most interesting young woman. Her name was Lara. She was a 25 year old UN translator, born and raised in Lebanon but currently living in Detroit. She was in Cabo with her husband, a Finnish man, who also works for the UN in Defense Ministry but lives in Afghanastan. Most striking was the fact that this was the first time they were seeing each other since 2010 when they were married. Because he works in the “war” industry, he constantly moves to different war-torn countries. First he was in Egypt, then Syria, and now Afghanastan. 

“We fight all the time,” she said. “Does marriage get better,” she asked me. Since I haven’t been married much longer than she has, I didn’t have much to offer but I did suggest that living apart for their entire marriage could have some impact on how they relate to each other. She also admitted that she bickers with him over little things and with this I offered the question that my godfather Happy Howard often asks: “Do you want to be happy, or do you want to be right?” She thought about this for a minute and then said, “I guess that makes sense but does that mean I can’t always say what’s on my mind?” Bingo! “That’s exactly what it means,” I said. “Sometimes you have to pick you battles and realize that keeping the peace is often better than saying how you feel and ending up in a fight.” I also asked her why she wasn’t living with her husband in Afghanastan and this launched us into a new conversation about Women and Islam. 

“In Kabul?” she said as she turned up her nose. “It’s so restrictive there for women.” Lara is a muslim woman but very progressive according to her. She shared her opinion that the restrictions placed on muslim women is more cultural than religious. Her rationale was that all religious sects have failed to explicitly give women rights but that women in history have had to demand their rights before any were realized.  “Muslim women are not demanding their rights and until they do this nothing will change.” We went on to have a very interesting discussion and I remembered why I love to travel internationally. You meet the most interesting people. Lara was very insightful for a 25 year old women. I was impressed. She speaks three languages, English, French, and Arabic, and had passion in her voice. Hers was a passion I feel is missing in my life. I yearn to be passionate about something that will give my life direction and purpose. Yes, being a mother has fulfilled me in ways I could have never imagined. However, I sense there is a greater purpose for me. I just have to discover it; or better stated, it has to discover me.

Hello Again...

I can't believe it's been since August that I've posted on my blog. Wow...time has flown by. I definitely intended to write a post when Jimmy and I spent Labor Day weekend in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic with friends or when I watched U of M win its 300th football game in a nail biter agains MSU or countless other times when Carter did something that was just darn cute. While these posts were written in my head they didn't make their way to the information highway.

I have been doing a lot of self reflection over these last few months. Mostly with trying to figure out what I am going to do with the next chapter of my life. Should I ride out being at home with Carter and Jimmy until we make our way back to California, should I go back to work, or should I take this time to explore interests and volunteer opportunities that I most likely won't be able to do once we move back to California? So many thoughts spinning around in my head was driving me crazy. My brain needed an intervention. I decided to add meditation to my life. My father has been meditating nearly daily for many years so I sought his guidance. He encouraged me to start slowly, suggested some readings, and warned that it would be a challenge but to keep trying. Like most new experiences, I started out with conviction. I began waking up every morning at 6:30 am and began meditating for 5 minutes. Believe it or not, that was probably the most challenging 5 minutes of my day. It's crazy where your mind leads you when you're trying to clear all thoughts. I continued this routine for about a week and then 6:30 am became 7 am became 7:15 am became meditating in the evening instead of the morning became not meditating at all. At this point, I haven't meditated for about two weeks. Granted, I haven't been home for the last 4 weekends (or all of last week) but I hope to get to a point where location is not a deterrent to seeking the few moments of solace my brain (and spirit) really needs. Part of the challenge, I believe, is finding the right time and space for mediation. Morning has never been my strong suit. I used to consider myself a night owl but since having the little one (and being married if you ask Jimmy) I'm pretty useless after 10 pm. My brain wants to shut down and veg out in front of the tv. With that being said, meditation is a work in progress for me.

For the 2 weeks I meditated consistently, I did see a change in my actions. I completed my application to the Indiana State Bar (which I had been putting off for no good reason), I began searching for jobs, I sought out volunteer opportunities, and overall, I started feeling more secure about where I am in life. This feeling hit home yesterday while I was in church. The pastor did a sermon on Revelations 6 and 7 and discussed how "salvation belongs to God." What this meant to me was that I need to stop worrying about willing my life in a certain direction and trust that God is leading me in the right direction. Now, that doesn't mean that I'm going to sit on my couch and wait for God to send me a subliminal message in a promo for The Voice (shout out). I am going to continue to be "in action" and put myself in situations where my next step may be revealed. If I say I believe in God, then I should also consider that I am where I'm supposed to be right now. I am ok with that. My life is GREAT and if you hear me complain (about anything) please remind me of that fact.