Life in Paradise?
Recently in an email, Sharon wrote, “So how does it feel to have your house in paradise”. She was referring to our bungalow here in Tenacatita. Also recently, a friend Sylvia published a piece in her blog (http://admiralfox.blogspot.com) titled Country Living is Not for Wimps. Sharon’s statement and Sylvia’s blog got me thinking about what paradise is and if I really live in paradise, as Sharon alluded. I’ll begin by describing my version of paradise, how it looks and feels to me. My paradise has lots of open spaces with nature dominating; forests and meadows everywhere; beautiful beaches and rivers abound; wild animals roam freely, and the sky is filled with colorful singing birds. Rain falls from a beautiful cloud-filled sky, which has a daytime bright sun and a nighttime moon and stars. So far it sounds like earth, but here is where I diverge from reality, because in my paradise nature is benevolent and there never are wild storms, droughts, or biting, stinging creatures.
On a more personal level, my paradise includes my lover, and together we explore the depths and heights of our relationship. We have True Love since we practice the four elements of love: loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and freedom*. My family and friends are close by and we visit often, love among us brings us comfort and we find joy in each other’s company; and conversation among is of high priority because it helps us gain understanding. My Lover, my family and my friends bring me peace and love.
That is a simple version of my paradise. Now to the question, “Do I live in paradise?” Obviously, from my description of paradise, it is clear I do not. Sure I have a house on the beach in a beautiful setting; a very tropical, beautiful place. However, I have unbearable heat and humidity; the storms and rains come as they please and at whatever intensity suit them. Here on this beautiful beach nature does not feel benevolent, rather there is a toughness and rawness to her. If you make a mistake in this paradise you may be swept away by an ocean undercurrent, heat exhaustion is very real possibility, maybe a scorpion bite awaits; or at the least mosquitoes will bite you, repeatedly. Certainly during the winter months Tenacatita feels more like a tropical paradise because up north it is raining, snowing and freezing cold; but even then, as Sylvia states “. . . it sure comes with a creepy, crawly, stingy, windy reminder that there is probably no such thing as paradise”.
Again at a personal level, I could not call this paradise. I am happy here, it is peaceful and I have nature close by and all around; there is a consistency and simplicity to life, punctuated by the ocean waves and tides, and the sunrise and sunset, which set my daily rhythms; everyday is the same, but new and different at the same time, there is always something new to learn. But I am alone here and loneliness is my constant companion; no lover, no family, and few friends. Conversations in English are far and few between and my Spanish conversations are generally no more than a few paragraphs in length and even then there may not be total comprehension. A couple of Mexican guys do come and visit and spend an hour or so with me in Spanish conversation, and I’m glad of this; and, let’s not forget I have three dogs that are real companions and sticky by me no matter what, even after three injections.
I am realistic, and I know, as do most adults, that there is no paradise here on earth; we humans, or at least most of us are not capable of finding paradise here on earth. There is too much hurt, anguish and pain in all our lives for us to ever feel like we live in paradise, regardless of our surroundings. After all, paradise is more than a place that provides comfort and beauty. It is much more! It is having paradise within us; love and peace must flourish within us to live in paradise. There is a saying, ‘that wherever you go there you are’, so our hurt and pain comes with us wherever we go.
I guess my response to Sharon’s question, would be . . . No this place is not paradise. It is only a place, special in its own magical ways, as are so many places all over the world. No, cariño, I’m not in paradise.
*From the book, True Love A Practice for Awakening the Heart, by Thich Nhat Hanh