Costa Rica put me on this one journey. When I moved here, I realized I was starting life over in so many way. Then, I had these two kids, one of the them with Down Syndrome.

Journey number 1

1). I had to learn a lot of life all over again.

2). I had to communicate in words I didn’t know.

3). I had to watch and assimilate.

4). Relax and give in to other’s way of doing things.

5). Step by step, I became acclimated to this new land.

Then, I had these two kids.

Journey number two.

1). I had to learn a lot of life all over again.

2). I had to communicate in words I didn’t know.

3). I had to watch and assimilate.

4). Relax and give in to other’s way of doing things.

5). Step by step, I became acclimated to this new land.

I know now that one does not have to travel to a new country to discover life or become enlightened. Probably the best place to do it is right in our own backyards. Yet, I do think there is a place for everyone, Costa Rica may be it for me (though I’m not ruling out that penthouse in New York yet!). Melody Beattie, a great writer helping us all to find a way home, grew up in my hometown in Minnesota. She knew she needed to move to California. She went on to write fourteen books and too many news and magazine articles to count. I see her books translated in Spanish and in the shelves here in Costa Rica.

Some of us do need a good bonk in the noggin’ to shake us up and finally move up a notch in our thinking. That was me. With all I know now, I would be content in Minnesota (though I’m still a little squimish about that snow thing). But I may have not known what I know if I didn’t know Costa Rica. I’m sure I’m loosing everyone here, but perhaps we can all get the point.

Dorothy was right: There’s no place like home. Home can change quite a bit. And if you seek that adventure that I did, know that life still has a way of rearing it’s wild head, even in paradise. Anyway….what to do I know?