The Powerful, Pounding Pacific & My Year of Gratitude

I know you are wondering, where is the food image?  I get it, that has been the mainstay of this blog.  And although food takes the front seat, the real driver is LOVE.  From an appetizer, to table setting, from floral design to a restaurant review, from traveling and inhaling life, it's about living fully and stirring it all with love.  And so I share a moment of exactly that in celebration of the BIRTHday of this blog.  

A little over a year ago JC and I made our first trip to Chile.  We were so grateful for this opportunity as it was a relatively unplanned vacation that was spurred on by a generous invite from our friends. We felt even more blessed upon learning that this was not only the first time they were receiving guests in their Chilean country home, but actually the first time THEY were staying in their own home after renovations.  What an enormous honor and treat. 

The breathtaking view from our guest room of their home.

The breathtaking view from our guest room of their home.

The home is perched atop the cliffside with the pounding Pacific below. Pounding being the understatement, as the ever constant rush of waves beats against the shore every minute, every second of the day and night.  To some this persistent commotion might be vexing but to me it was a soothing calm. I am a Pisces and a water lover. I love hearing it, seeing it, being near it, and most definitely being IN it.  I am in awe of water, and even more so of the Pacific.  She is relentless.

Her mighty force roars; crashing, smashing into the rocks, into beaches, into whatever it pleases. Raging with a haunting 'grito' (translation: yell)  "I, more powerful than you".  A roar of hisses, a roar of crashes, a whisper of foam.  

She screams out "Surrender to me, feel my might. I will wear you down."  But the rocks simply stand, and stand taller and stronger.  Not blinking or twitching or with the slightest concern.  They make no sound against the rushing rage. Stand strong. Stand your ground. Rock solid, now and forever.

I share this beauty of nature and my profound sense of appreciation for a year of adventure for the things I love and of being grateful.  Grateful for all of life's opportunities. Grateful to have loyal readers. Grateful for that moment in Chile,  listening to the mighty water as I sat and wrote and wrote and wrote, anticipating the launch of my blog.  Breathing in strength and belief in myself. So today in honor of the exact one year anniversary posting of this blog, a birthday on many levels, I say;  
May each of us stand tall in whatever force charges our way. With calming love and in full celebration, I wish for you to be as forceful as water and as solid as rock in all your life's journeys.