After my recent experience with signs and feeling I was in the right place, the next level began to happen. I had a visual glimpse of something I was doing and once it came into my mind, my heart started dancing with joy.
It’s not a new vision, it’s one I’ve been aware of for some time, but not firmly acting on. The fact that my heart was leaping made it ever more significant.
The way the vision happened also seemed significant. I was walking alone up a path to see the waterfall in the town of Uvita. I was just wondering to myself, “What if I’ve taken this journey and find absolutely nothing? What if it turns out I was already where I’m supposed to be and I end up going back to everything I was doing having learned, only, that life really is just about making money and having health insurance?”
The other thought occurring to me was that I wasn’t sure I was on the right path to the waterfall. And then BOOM, vision happens. I might give it another name because really it was a visceral experience while walking. My mind and my heart were one, as I was walking.
And right after the visceral experience, I looked up and saw the sign telling me I was indeed on the right path! No coincidence there.
The other amazing part of this experience is how my instincts feel more acute, and how people are showing up just as I need them for either a lesson or help. As I walked the final 100 meters, a “man/boy” appeared. (I honestly couldn’t tell if he was 15 or 24.) Immediately, I was aware that he was suspicious and I knew he would try to talk to me, which he did. He said hello, I said hello back, and kept walking. I had already passed him when he said, all in Spanish, “Oh, I thought you were from here, but I see you’re a tourist. If you like, I would like to show you a secret place where you don’t have to pay any money to see it.”
This is an unfortunate experience of solo travel in Central America as a woman. This is not the first time a man has tried to, um, whatever it is they do. My initial thought was, “Fuck no! I’m not interested in going anyplace with you!”
I saw his eyes drop to my right pocket, where my iPhone was bulging from. I quickly said, “Thank you, I’m meeting friends at the waterfall and need to leave.” He told me his name was Jorge and came over and shook my hand, and I could just feel the fake politeness undermining his true intentions, and hurried off. I realize my usual need to be polite and inoffensive is being replaced with empowerment. I’ve seen all the animals in their natural habitat do whatever they need to survive with no apology, and I have begun taking queues from them. There is no need for me to be polite to anyone that I feel has clearly malicious intentions – thank you wildlife for that empowering lesson!
I went to the waterfall, which was gorgeous, and full with crazy people jumping off the rocks! I met a lovely couple there who took some photos of me and we spoke for a few minutes before they headed off.
I love how things happen for a reason. When I left the waterfall it was raining hard enough that I was concerned about walking back down the road which was full of water and no doubt slippery. So, I stopped for a fruit smoothie. I was really worried about seeing Jorge again and strategizing what I would do and say when I did. When I saw a couple start walking down the hill, I immediately followed them, hoping they would either walk all the way down (about a half mile) or, if they had a car, maybe offer me a ride.
Unfortunately, they got in their car and drove off. I kept walking, and happened upon a house and two men. One was looking at me in a way I didn’t like. I hurried past their home as another car was passing. To my relief, someone called my name, and it was the lovely couple I had met at the waterfall! They offered me a ride, which I gratefully accepted. I told them how they had rescued me, and thinking they would just drive me to the bottom of the road where the bus stop is, I was even more grateful and surprised to learn they were headed past my hotel, and took them up on the offer to drive me all the way back, saving me what would have been more than an hour’s wait for the bus.
Pura Vida!
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