I got an email recently in response to my newsletter that said you are "wonderfully talented and miraculously motivated!" Thank you Barbara for "seeing me".

I seldom take time out/off and when I do, I usually plan a very busy, insanely interesting, jam packed trip. My husband and I have gotten really good at ensuring we spend most of our time with local people, exploring and usually last 2 days we show up with our backpacks to some fancier hotel as our reward.

This year after thinking over our options of interest and ease of travel (Croatia, Turkey, Southeast Asia) we randomly chose Mexico. 

Back in May when life was very chaotic, uncertain and really asked of me to trust that all will be ok, I met a lovely woman, a food stylist, Anna Keville Joyce, who was in search of bold jewelry for her not-so-food-related project on human love. She was taking the jewelry on her own 2 week long journey to this small place in Mexico. Our encounters have been so random but so meaningful, that upon her return hearing her mention that "this place will sit with all your sensibilities" I can't say I wasn't curious. 

We got to Ixtapa, Troncones as our final destination a few weeks later, what we found at Lo Sereno we had no idea we needed. 

I have heard so much about burnout and stress that last 18+ months brought to all of us, but for me, there wasn't room to dwell on the stress. For me it was more of: "what more can I do to keep going?" I don't tend to freeze in these moments, I tend to focus on the things I can control, my creativity, speaking with the world, tending to my flock (friends, family, whoever needs me and whomever I need). Once we landed in this small town, with big ocean and a 10 room joint, we both collapsed with exhaustion. 

I had no idea how tired and drained I was, we both were. People were so lovely, even with my minimal Spanish they welcomed us and let us just float between the ocean, pool, sustenance and naps. I had so many moments of gratitude, that I got to do this, experience this, and take this time out. 

And the little thing that let me know I was in the right place? 

I always see a butterfly- right when I need to see it, as a reminder "you are exactly where you need to be, when you need to be". That's my small omen.

There were hummingbirds feeding on the gorgeous yellow tubular flowers around us, that we both quietly watched get on with their instinctive ways. We also watched a family of 5, take vacation together and how wonderful their time was in this very private and intimate space. We watched a newly wed couple completely decompress post their wedding insanity. We watched sunsets, took morning walks and ventured to small town for provisions. I found a "lock rock" that I eventually made into a pendant.

We were very present and very grateful for each moment. 

I understand now,  the collective tired and wiped.

My hope is that you found time to rest, restore, rejuvenate, be quiet and take in whatever you need to take in, so you can collect yourself and continue on this journey. 

                                     Tell me, have you done that?