Surfacing

“ The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.” – Henry Miller

As I move through the apartment these days I’m aware that the light outside is changing – the bedroom seems brighter (it faces north-east) as the lower angle of the afternoon sun reflects off a neighbouring building’s windows, there are new shadows on the wall creating beauty where none was before. Other corners of the apartment are revealed by this same light fueling an urge to disrupt the everyday patterns of my books, objects and other ephemera, to breathe new life into these forgotten realms. I’ve been opening drawers and looking into closets gathering up abandoned dreams, scribbled notes, as well as the odd unread book – surfacing from the dream-like slumber of summer to embrace the new season to come…

This means saying good-bye to picnics in the park at our favourite spot (the Railway Cafe) as well as the meditative forest-bathing we enjoyed so much on the trail (both are now closed until next Spring) and saying hello to some delicious hot chocolate after chasing the sun towards the unique concession/gift store just beside the Totems (near Brockton Oval in Stanley Park) on fall walks to come. We enjoyed doing this a lot last year and can hardly wait to sip on that first hot chocolate when fall officially arrives!

Surfacing from languid summer life has resulted in new energy, I’ve shaken the water from my eyes and have taken that first breath – I find myself making important appointments instead of putting them off, exploring new things (I recently signed up for a fun workshop on “Food Poetry” at our local neighbourhood house!) and reaching out (hello new blogger friends!). There is still one more Farmer’s Market visit this Saturday and time to organize for our trip back east, time for taking more breaths and enjoy the slow crawl into fall…

This is our view as we sip hot chocolate in the fall at the Totems in Stanley Park (Vancouver, B.C.)

This unique totem’s carvings caught our eye at the Totems in Stanley Park (Vancouver, B.C.)

It’s a beautiful space to wander with so many beautiful carvings to marvel at (the Totems in Stanley Park (Vancouver, B.C.)

Journal Entry: December 13, 2004 – Olas Altas

I was happy to find myself at Cafe San Angel again this morning having my favourite pancakes. Even though we are moving to our new digs, we still plan to come here – it’s so inspirational and this morning they are playing great music, very Spanish with some Middle Eastern notes. We’ve started to pack our backpacks; we plan to take the bus to the hotel (Paloma del Mar) if our packs prove to be too heavy for a long hike.

There are many things I will miss here in the Olas Altas area – the spaciousness of our studio, our open front door with the view of the very blue sky and the fresh green of a large palm plus our always open balcony door. There are incredible views from our balcony of very interesting and charming homes. I never tire of the view especially looking up at the hills at the palms ( there is one spot that is my favourite, my eyes are drawn to a stand of 5 palms – it is peaceful to see them up there swaying…

A slice of exotic Puerto Vallarta (Mexico) on the malecon – ocean, palms and colourful dancers!