It has been a short while since I wrote, life and work has been busy. I have been out and about exploring the world I now have the opportunity to reside in. Taking in the culture, the scenery and people. As with anywhere, there are both negative and positive aspects. I can honesty say that I am most grateful for the common aspects of the environment no matter where we end up. We never know what our day will bring us, but one thing for certain is the sun will always rise and it will always set. There will always be some semblance of night and day. No sunset or sunrise is the same as it was before. There is always a different nuance to the dynamics of the light. The clouds that artistically fill the sky; an infinite variety of textures, light and scenery to mesmerize our mind. It makes me feel closer to home knowing that the same sun will set for them. No matter how many times I watch it, it is always beautiful, always calming. I find that inner peace as the sky turns from it light blue, to the vivid colors and finally to the darkness as the stars reveal themselves. Even when the day has been trying at best, the sunset will always be there.
The culture here is as any other culture is. It has the very desirable and not so desirable aspects. For the most part the People here are very generous, with what they have. You find some of the best food at the road side stands selling fresh fruit, chicken, hamburgers or any food you can think of. Businesses reside in everything you see. One side of the house is the storefront, while the other is where the family lives. The narrow streets are lined with a myriad of colored houses, small and humble. Some Raised up on concrete stilts with circular staircases, while some are a multi family dwelling right on the street. Cars are parked wherever space is available. Citizens cross the street oblivious to the flow of traffic and young men and women ride horses down the street. It truly is a conglomerate of old and new. It is civilized, yet lacks many of the expectations of order. The expectation is to expect everything, yet nothing at the same time.
As interesting as I find the crowded aspect of the culture, the scenery is what I find most interesting. The sand dunes, beaches, waterfalls, caves and cliff sides; I can see that much of view has not changed from the time this island was inhabited by the native when the sailing ships first arrived. From what I have seen in my adventures, it appears that every place is like a different style of painting. It has similar elements, but is unique in how it is all brought together. Puerto Rico is no different. The ocean buds up against the beaches lined with beds of rock and corral. Waves constantly crash onto the shore sometimes reaching the cliffs that rise a little as feet from the shore. Greenery is everywhere you look, occasionally sparse at the sand dunes, but still the trees find their place. The sun beats down moments before a short tropical storm soaks the ground.
I suppose that Life will not always keep you at home. You will have to leave your comfort zone, inhabit places that are unfamiliar. We can only hope that family and friends will join us along the way. That new friends will be made along the path and that we will have the opportunity to reach our potential and be the best person we can be. I have never truly forgotten where I came from or where I have been. I do my best to see the beauty of the world I see at a time, but I still miss those I have come to cherish. I have to keep myself busy, check out new areas and do what I can to stay in touch. It gets difficult at times. As I said before, there are those things that bond us, those everyday occurrences that happen no matter where we are. Along with the beauty of the scenery, the culture and the people. I can say that life is good. Always grateful to be alive and have the opportunity to simply live.
