Monkey See, Monkey do Better...

It's ironic how it's not until you're as far away from safety and familiarity as possible that you appreciate how truly comfortable you are in your own skin. I oftentimes used to worry that my rash and whimsical decisions were rooted in a callouseness hardened by disregard for societal norms. while that may still be the case, i've come to realize that that's not where the story ends. I've watched my friends, family, lovers, acquaintances etc evolve over the years and have seen that the ones I still have the capacity to care for are those who embody similar ideals. The strong willed and the wild, the compassionate and the passionate...these are the personalities that fuel me and vice versa and are the ones who have helped me to realize that we are all individually better than ok, we're great! Never have I felt more strengthened by the ones I love nor felt as independent and capable as I do now. Before leaving for Bali, my shakti goddess girlfriends and I reunited and within each we saw and reaffirmed that we will never need anyone else to validate who we are. We've learned how to admire but also how to achieve when inspired. We've learned to love others but more imprtantly, ourselves. We have blossomed and yet, rooted as well.

This feeling of power has carried over, thousands of miles across the seas to Indonesia. Arrriving in the dead of the night, having to arrange a car to carry me an hour further into the bowels of the country I somehow felt not an iota of fear. The Balinese are incomprehensibly gracious and helpful. The air here is perfumed with heady incense and laughter. Even though im staying in a family homestay, i feel like im living in a temple (pic of my abode attached to this post!)

This morning, restless from a night of visitations in my dreams I woke at 5am to the sun rising outside my balcony window. Without a moment's hesitation, I had slipped on my running shoes and without map or phone, took off in a direction that seemed to beckon. The next 6 miles were marked by a series of events, as connected as they are unrelated. My first stop on my journey had me stumbling into Monkey Forest temple. I ran through throngs of wild monkeys on the footpath and their babies playfully scampered along at my feet. emerging from what I thought to be the other side, I found myself in a rice paddy field. I was approached by a man in his fifties and his dog. He offered to walk me around the desolate paddy fields and without a second thought I was trotting along after his golden retriever. We came across his cousin's store and out of young green coconuts we sipped the sweet milk and chatted about our lives, his in Ubud and mine in Florida. With the last dregs of the fragrant nectar he then offered to show me his home. Figuring I had already spent over an hour with this complete stranger I happily traipsed through alleyways until we arrived at his compound. After playing with his nephews and accepting some fruits from his wife to bring as an offerring to the temples I plan on seeing later today, we parted ways with sweaty sticky hugs that the climate facilitates.

I've discovered a favorite cafe of mine nearby that boasts the most hippy and free-love mentality embodying clan of young and old alike. I feel at home in my green harem pants and mala beads. The only item that gives me away as a foreigner is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo that is creeping out of my embroidered shoulder bag. Sipping on my tumeric and aloe juice, some young people who also live in new york stike up conversation. After exchanging information im off for my first official yoga class of the program. This next month will be marked by being receptive to new ideas, people, information while all the ways still staying true to myself. Something tells me that ill be returning same-same....but different (bonus points for those of you who caught that Salman Rushdie reference)