Island living…..
Just got back from Barbados, I had lots of rest, relaxation and fun…..While there I took some time to reflect on my own life and feeling very grateful for this journey…..
I started traveling as a way to escape normalcy. I’ve never been one to follow the crowd. I was an Aupair in Germany and Austria in my teens. I remembered standing holding unto my bicycle at the border of Austria and gazing in amazement at farmers toiling and laboring in the nearby fields of communist Czechoslovakia, I was 18 years old….my travelling and exploring journey had only just begun….
Working with many wealthy families allowed me the opportunity to travel throughout Europe and the world. Exploring and meeting people of other cultures was and still is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It gave me a sense of humility and deep appreciation for life and people. The lifestyles of the rich and the way they related with each other was completely different than my own childhood and cultural upbringing. These experiences changed my outlook on life. I realized at an early age that in some situations, poverty and the social conditions of poverty depended on the society’s definition of poverty. If you don’t have enough money to buy what society expect you to have you are seen as poor, and you in turn believe you are poor. Yet money never buys happiness…..
As I later migrated to the USA, got married and became a mom. I pondered daily and tried effortlessly to make sense of my new life and the many challenges of living in the diaspora. I must admit there are many joys and rewards of living abroad, a whole new world of opportunities awaits you. Yet there was always something missing…….
” Those who were seen dancing were thought crazy by those who couldn’t hear the music”
I’ve lived in many neighborhoods in the USA….I’ve worked in a variety of jobs. I have had the opportunity to be among people of many economic backgrounds. I have observed self-centered people; People that only cared about themselves and those connected to them. These people are the most highly opinionated, selfish and mean- spirited people. Their way is the only correct way. They spend so much time judging others that they miss so much beauty in living. They are also some of the most unhappy and miserable people.
Life has to be more than just about oneself….life must at some point be about showing up for others, supporting and encouraging others. Spreading love, lending a helping hand, sharing and caring. Being happy when others go after their dreams and go on to becoming their highest self. Being prosperous and rich and being able to afford all the material things of this world will do nothing for your soul if you neglect to strengthen your people’s skills.
There are documentaries showing people from the poorest countries in the world living and loving each other despite of their conditions. I’ve seen and experienced this love and unity and genuine compassion for others in my own childhood. I’ve seen neighbors looking out for each other. I’ve witnessed the exchange of priceless moments as we celebrated each other, where everyone mattered. Where if someone went missing for a few hours a search would begin.
At that time I didn’t realize it but we were wealthy, we gave so much more of ourselves. Our spirituality and deep faith was the driving force. Gratitude was expressed much more often than any feelings of lack. I can’t help but wonder where we went wrong, how we missed it, we now love and value material things more so than each other. We compete to be better than each other…..So as I travel throughout life I yearn to go back to that place where we had less, but we loved and embraced each other more. Lets not forget how short our time on ‘planet earth really is’……We can never be whole and complete living a ‘me life’…….
Take me back……
SSS
Ladies loving life……
Barbados 2016
Follow me….
Sunshinesoulsister 
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