serendipity is a wonderful thing

To be in the right place at the right time... or to get to the right place at the right time. Either way, it's gotta be more than luck.

I was offered the amazing opportunity to attend Lisa Sonora Beam's Creative Entrepreneur Workshop at Hacienda Mosaico in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Since dawn on Thursday I had been trying to convince the gas company to deliver gas... or rather, to do their job... so that Estacion Esperanza wouldn't have to go a day without gas... hot water... or the option of cooking.  My pleas were denied. Supposedly the driver would get a huge fine for being on a pedestrian street and in a school zone at the hour which parents are delivering their children and niños swarm everywhere. Safety or fines or some crazy excuse.

Around 7:30 I decided to check my email before crawling back into bed.

A happy little message from my aunt brightened my day... and I do believe that Betsy, her friend who let me attend the workshop in her place, altered my life.  The beach - and a week of paid breakfast and lunch -  was only a 9 hour bus ride away!

Sammy and her little dog Estela welcomed me at when I arrived at 6:30 a.m. on Monday morning.  After a much-needed shower to rid myself of the filmy bus smell and a quick nap, I awoke to the best breakfast I had eaten since the pumpkin pie I gobbled down in November before catching a flight from Nashville to Mexico City.  

Every morning and at lunch I devoted myself to the devouring of the loads of fresh pineapple, guava, star fruit, kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, oranges, mangos, granola and yogurt, hot cakes with fresh blackberry jam, salads piled high with jicama, olives and beets, rich black coffee, bacon, frijoles, eggs, blue corn marlin empanadas, huitlacoche and squash blossom quesadillas, fresh molcajete salsa, mango juice, hibiscus water... there is more... much more... I won't torture you.

Glass hearts and mosaic tiles glittered all around the hacienda and we were welcome to lounge anywhere we felt like landing during our free time.  Chaise lounges next to the pool, sofas with pillows scattered around, a hammock and a pool. Nothing is lacking at this wonderful refuge from the noise of our apocalyptic world.

After my first full night in Vallarta I woke and found my way to the beach to let myself soak up as much of the sea as I could. Guanajuato had almost no rain in the past year and they are already cutting off water all over the city in order to reserve as much as possible before the heat and real dry season hit.  I walked along the pebbly shore gathering sea glass and bones. At one point I thought to myself that I would steal only a few more treasures then head back to stuff my face with whatever deliciousness that Alicia and Cristobal had decided to prepare for us. Not three minutes later, a wave came up and charged me for my souvenirs... the flip flops that a friend had lent me with the understanding that he would cut off my hair did I not bring them back. I knew something had to go wrong with all of this perfection flying around.

I want to share some links to the marvelous mujeres that put up with me that week.  Please take a moment to check out their creations. All are genius and accomplished... I was blessed to be among them!  

Ulrieke Benner - Art You Wear

Art by Joyce Durand

TranquiliT

Kimberly Wilson

Throughout the week I was surrounded by an inspiring and intimidating group of women who were nothing but supportive and loving. I needed to be in that space and exactly in that moment. I had been feeling lost and suffocated... alone and reverting to muscle memory.  

In the workshop, Lisa guided us through our creative, business and personal goals while we cut and pasted and shared and supported one another.  We could use the studio any time we felt like it and a couple of nights I stayed up there alone singing songs in my head so as not to wake the others.  It was a great time to develop some new techniques and experiment with budding ideas.

I searched for solace among the sand.

The motion of the waves in the stillness of my mind was comforting.

The night breeze felt amazing and the humidity revived me while walking along the Malecon.  It was high season in Vallarta but it was not very crowded. Taxis lined the streets and some electronica bars looked nothing but pitiful with a hand full of people in them, mostly employees.  I spoke with some of the merchants and the taxi drivers and they commented that, apart from the all-inclusive hotels, resorts and cruise ships, many people were scared to venture far from their comfort zone. Much of this is due to negative publicity and a fear-based propaganda campaign that is prevalent in the U.S.  There are parts of Mexico that are dangerous, it is a reality.  However, there is no reason to hole up in a sterile hotel room while you wear your wristband like garlic to ward off vampires.

Sammy, our host at Hacienda Mosaico, is an amazing jewelry designer.  I drooled over the rings and now wear the earring that she gave me as a reminder of the tranquil and pampering week that I spent at her beautiful hacienda.

The last day I decided to change my bus ticket so that I could spend the afternoon at the beach and then sleep on the overnight bus.

I sat in the shade of an umbrella wearing long pants. I slathered sunscreen all over my arms.  It felt good to be greasy; I knew the arid desert air would turn me into a snake again only too soon.

Spiderman parachuted by every so often while the others that were paragliding just made me mad because I would love to fly one day.

Back to reality.  

Chaos and art class awaited me in Guanajuato... but I didn't stir once I boarded the bus. I dreamt that the motor of the bus was the ocean and the light from the television was the full moon shining her light down on me as I traveled east.