Hugs from the Beach

Oh the sun on my face, the sand between my toes, and the salt on my skin……I am in heaven! It is sooooo good to be at the beach. I arrived early this afternoon and plan to stay for the next three days. I decided to venture to the east coast of Bali to a town called Sanur. I wanted to check out somewhere I had never been before and Sanur is not too far from Ubud, so it was perfect. I booked myself in a nice little hotel right on the beach and have been grinning ear to ear since I arrived!

The sea breeze is so perfect; perfect temperature, perfect smell, perfect noise, perfect feel. I walked as far as i could walk on the beach when I first got here, during which met the sweetest woman named Rita. She walked with me for about a mile. At first she wanted to give me a massage, but then we just got to talking and found that we really enjoyed each others company, so we just walked. She told me all about the area and the island in the distance which is where she is from. Every step we walked I fell more in love with the Balinese people. The conversations are so joyful, friendly, and light. Once she decided that she could stray no further from her shop she gave me a farewell hug that felt like it came from an old friend. I continued to walk, every now and then dropping my things and sprinting into the ocean Baywatch style (this has been one of my favorite things to do since I was a little kid). I would float for a bit, and then come back out and continue my walk. All along the beach there are these mini piers that have little open shacks at the end where you can just lounge, look out at the gorgeous view, feel the perfect breeze, and get a little shade from the sun. I parked it on one of those for a few hours, reading for a bit, but then deciding that I was enjoying the feeling of just being on the ocean far too much to distract myself with typed words. Two Indonesian boys from Mala came up and hung out with me for a while. They were hilarious and so friendly, as usual. One was wearing leather pants but designed like jeans. I asked him if he was hot and he said “yes,” fanning himself then smiled and said, “but sexy yah?” I just laughed, it was unfortunately the complete opposite, but I didn’t have the heart to tell him. We chatted about all sorts of things eventually determining that there were too many people in the world, all of whom are using too much oil. It was a funny conclusion for an American and two Indonesians to come to while sitting at the end of a pier on a perfect sunny day without a care in the world, but very true. The one in the leather pants was convinced that America is going to bring peace to the world, and I think I did a good job of convincing him that I thought otherwise. Rather, it would be people like us were the ones that could really bring peace to the world, by being happy loving individuals who brought that into the lives of all they meet.

After a little while a young group of boys on bikes with a kite came a joined us. It felt like a perfect little island being out there on that pier. I learned how to say kite in Indonesian which had all of them in stitches for a solid 15 minutes. Apparently my accent is not so authentic! I was kicking myself for not having my camera because the images of the kids trying to fly this kite would have been priceless. But yet again, as I have found so many times on this trip, the best photos have been captured with my eyes and stored forever in my heart. I left our perfect little island when a grumpy old man from Holland arrived and shifted the light laughter to a somber silence. It was getting late in the day so I quickly ran back to the hotel to grab my camera to photograph the locals who come to the beach after work. I did more watching than photographing, but did get some great shots. All of the families come together to play and bathe in the sea. It’s beautiful to see their interaction, every movement so filled with love. They all act as if they have all the time in the world, and in many ways they do. In fact we all do, it’s really just a state of mind. I feel so sad for the many children in the world who don’t get to simply spend moments like that with their families. It seems that it is an epidemic which is worse in the western world than in poorer countries where they aren’t consumed by their jobs. They may not have much money or many possessions, but they have time. Time to spend with their loved ones and time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life which are all to often over looked. Watching all the families play as I sit in the sand sipping on a cold Bintang was like watching one of the best movies I’ve seen in a while.

Just when I was feeling a little lonely and wishing I had someone to share the moment with, a very cute older woman named Wyan (her daughter, husband, and grandchild are all also named Wyan, and it turns out that I too am named Wyan because Wyan is the name for the first born), walked up to me and gave me this smile that said “I am a wise and gentle woman, you want to talk to me.” So I did, we talked for about an hour. She just sat with me, much in the same way that Rita earlier had just walked with me. I couldn’t help but feel as though they were angels fallen from the sky, to give me a hug and smile just when I needed it. Of course first they want to know where you’re from, where you’re staying, how long you’re staying, if it’s your first time to Bali, and if you like it. I think they really like my teeth because I usually only make it about halfway through those questions before they stop, no longer care, and just want to see me smile, which of course I do, so then we have a smile off. Greatest game ever.

Wyan told me all about her family, which was a screwed up as one might find in southern Mississippi or parts of Utah. Her husband has 4 wives, maybe 5 at one point, but probably only 4 now. She doesn’t live with him anymore because he lives with one of the other ones, but he may want to come back soon. She hopes so because she would not like to be alone in her old age. She does have a lovely son though who takes good care of her. As I listen to her words, which are broken english but still quite easy to understand, I can’t help but drift into my own thoughts of how wonderful it is to simply talk to strangers, for when they open their hearts to you and you in turn have no judgement, you can really feel that we are all same. Beyond race, religion, gender, background, size, shape, perfect teeth or no teeth, we are people who just want to express, love, be loved, and laugh.

As the sun set I watched the reflection of the pinks, oranges, and blues bounce off the west coast of the next island (remember I am on the east coast, no sunset over the water for me) and I couldn’t help but feel as though I was wrapped up in the arms of the world, in those of the mother we all share, Nature.

Where ever you are, I hope Mother Nature is hugging you too.