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Last year at this time, we had a knock at the door from our property manager letting us know that after nine years of renting our lovely little treehouse-like home in El Granada, CA, we had 60 days to vacate. Yes, vacate during COVID. Yes, vacate when Michael was still recovering from his rectal cancer surgery. Yes. we had cats, a dog, a fish, and stuff! We had planned a women’s retreat for me for my 50th birthday and a trip to Costa Rica for all of us in March and April that had already been postponed once because of COVID. We had been lining up a potential rental and cajoling friends into joining us. Would we have to cancel the trip again that I had already paid for?
We took a cursory look at rents in our county on craigslist. Single-family homes were double our rent as were two duplexes with storage and that allowed pets. Because of our kids need to vocalize and move their bodies, we can’t do apartments. Out of county wasn’t much better and meant changing EVERYTHING for our kids anyway. If you have exceptional (aka special needs kids) and deal with SSI, Med-i-cal, IEPs, and regional centers, and the meltdowns that lay ahead (mine not theirs) you know what I mean. Like many of my colleagues and friends who don’t have parent help or legacy house equity, we were officially priced out of the Bay Area
.
“Email the owner of that place in Cabuya, Costa Rica” I suggested to Michael. The owner, who ended up living in the bay area wanted to rent, sell, and talk. Costa Rica, and Cabuya, in particular had been on our hearts and in our minds since I was asked to come here for a Study Abroad in 2017. We came here for 10 days in 2018 and fell in love. We thought maybe we’d move in 5+ years. Maybe retirement. If you came for a visit or dinner at our place, you likely were subjected to videos of Costa Rica coastline or jungles.
After scanning prices again our deliberations lasted literally thirty seconds: “Do you want to move to Costa Rica or move to the Central Valley and try to figure out a commute?” I asked Michael. He looked at me hard for a second and replied, “There’s no question for me. Let’s do it.” And in two months we were on a plane with two kids, two pets, two carry-ons, two ipads and my laptop. Our stuff, which we whittled down to mostly surfboards, bikes, skateboards, music equipment, tools, some pictures, kitchen supplies and three boxes of books, arrived a few months later in a shipping container.
The path hasn’t been smooth, straight or obvious. Yet, neither Michael nor I are the type of people who let outside circumstances dictate our core happiness or sense of peace. Gratitude has blown itself through us. We wake up every day to weather that has been healing to Michael (no more eczema) and that we adore. We are surrounded by nature: countless butterflies flit around. Yes we eat papaya, piña, or watermelon daily, AND we have to sweep out tiny gecko poop–daily. We chose the perfect puebla for us: it’s rural, quiet, centered on local community and a handful of friends. We don’t own a car, so we ride bikes and take cabs if we need to go somewhere. Do we have bug bites? A bodega with a leaky roof? Does Michael shake his head at Costa Rican plumbing and construction practices? Do iguanas regularly come into the eves of the house and taunt Monica? YES! So like anything else, it is life. But the shift away from the capitalistic grind, distraction, and brainwashing that we need so much because there are aisles and aisles of it to be consumed is gone. Since we arrived March 1st, we have been able to exhale and live consciously.
For 2022, I’m excited to do the work I feel called here to do. I’m deep into a writing project as I participate with the Gateless Writing Academy and the brilliant Suzanne Kingsbury that will last until July. And I’m hosting my online course for mamas of exceptional kids. I’m getting certified to teach meditation, and much more. With me are a sisterhood of friends I adore and who buoy me. And, I’m still supporting myself with daily practices but am not sacrosanct about anything. I have two shapeshifting kiddos and Monica 😜., so I can’t be too serious. As you reflect on this wild and likely divinely difficult year, I invite you to find the gratitude and path that lights you up.
Big Love for you all in 2022 💜