October 12 - Three Reasons to Celebrate

Today, October 12, is a special day.

Why?  In addition to simply celebrating another day of Better Life, here are my top three reasons to celebrate today.

Reason # 1 - Discovery Day

On Monday, October 8, the United States (and other countries) observed "Columbus Day" as a holiday.  Similarly, today, the Bahamas (and other countries) recognize "Discovery Day."

Discovery Day commemorates Christopher Columbus' arrival in the "New World."  His initial landfall is thought to be on one of the Bahamian islands, what he called Guanahani, on this day in 1492.

Present day, this is observed as a holiday and a day off from work for many Bahamians.  Locally, it coincides with a weekend-long bottom-fishing tournament and other activities (beach parties, dominoes challenges, etc.).  So let the celebrations commence!

Beau's little grandnephews in awe of the barrel full of fish during last year's tournament.

Reason #2 - Slick's Birthday

One of my favorite people on the island - in fact, on the planet - is Slick, and today is his birthday.

Bonefish Slick (real name Oliver) also happens to be Beau's cousin, although I met Slick years before I met Beau.  Back in those days, Slick was a bit more of a wild man, and I was a wide-eyed touristy teen.  I still remember one sunny winter day 25 years ago, sitting outside the local bar in a gazebo by the sea and declining the offer of a beer from a man ten years or more my senior.  (A beer!  I was 15 or 16, and my parents would have killed me.)  Yup, that was Slick.  He just laughed and went on his merry way.  

A few years later, Bonefish Slick demonstrated to me the fisherman part of his nickname.  Along with another fishing guide, Slick took me and my brother and two boatloads of family friends out for a wonderful day of bonefishing.

Since my move to the island on a more permanent basis, I've come to know Slick much more personally.  He has a heart of gold and an infectious laugh and is a loyal friend.  These days, Slick continues to thrive as an outstanding fisherman and guide.  He also serves as surrogate parent to Beau's dog, Milo, who follows Slick like a shadow when he's lost track of Beau.  Slick also is wonderful with children and spent hours in our volunteer program with the local kids this past summer.

Slick, celebrating the victory of the sailboat he crews on with Beau.

Beau and Slick are close, and Slick has embraced me tightly as family.  He's an excellent cook and will send native dishes over for me to eat, and he looks out for me in other little ways.  Slick has an open and loving heart and is simply a stand-up guy.  He's overcome many obstacles that would have been (and have been) the demise of other people.  For this, and for the man he is, I have immense respect and love for him.

Happy Birthday, Slickie!

Reason #3 - A Special Anniversary

Today marks the first anniversary of something I hope to celebrate for many years to come.

Today, someone dear to me celebrates a year of sobriety.  

This time last year, my heart clutched in fear, my stomach roiled with anxiety, and my eyes filled with tears as I observed my loved one battle the early stages of detox and recovery from alcohol/addictions.  This was something I had never previously encountered up close and personal, and it scared the daylights out of me.  

In the year that followed, I learned a lot about addictions and recovery.  I have incredible thanks and respect for reputable rehab programs and the almighty powers of AA - Alcoholics Anonymous.  More significantly, I have more-than-words-can-describe respect for my loved one who has conquered and thrived.

From time to time, people will hear "my story" about leaving everything for life on an island, and some of these people tell me I am brave.  Hah!  It's all in the eyes of the beholder, I suppose, but, to me, entering a detox facility is brave.  Confiding in family and friends about stigmatized addictions is brave.  Sticking it out through a rehab program is brave.  Ending toxic relationships is brave.  Returning to work where people may have whispered at the long absence (and prior downward spiral) is brave.  Redefining friendships is brave.  Finding new interests and ways to have fun is brave.  Maintaining sobriety - as in, never have a single drink - for an entire year (with many more to follow) is brave.

Today, My Brave One, I celebrate you.  You are a brave, strong, centered, spiritual, loving, positive, open-minded, open-hearted, funny, smart, talented human being.  You inspire me.  You are one of my very best friends, and I love you with every ounce of my being.  My heartfelt congratulations and continued best wishes to you on your first anniversary!!!

Cheers to your new sunrise, new day, new year, new Better Life!

Today, I also celebrate any of you Better Lifers or your loved ones who are conquering these challenges.  Your Better Life awaits you!

Happy October 12th, everyone!

Anniversary Again?! Blogging Discoveries

Precisely one month ago, I launched this blog - Happy Anniversary!  Okay, okay, I know it's only been a month, and I promise I won't coerce you into celebrating such minutia all the time.  But, kind of like in the early stages of a new relationship when the couple celebrates mini-anniversaries, I'm just so darn excited and want to mark the occasion.

So, what have I discovered in this month of blogging?

• Daily reminders of how much I enjoy writing!
• The joy of "meeting" new and interesting people in the form of blog readers and other bloggers.
• I actually dig Twitter.
• Facebook Pages frustrate me because I can't reach out to friends like you can on a personal page.  Instead, I must wait for them to "Like" the Choosing The Better Life (Island Blog) Facebook page.
• The pleasure of seeing this island and my Better Life through the eyes of new readers.
• I need to carry my camera with me more.
  
• Blogging about my Better Life reinforces a healthy perspective for me and immense gratitude on a daily basis.
• Angel was born to be a star.  Okay, I already knew that.
• Blogging takes more time than I'd imagined.
• "Island busy" still is worlds better than my former life "busy."
• I feel very much "me" when writing here, as opposed to, oh let's say, a legal brief or contract revision.
• Random little bits of related joy, like getting positive feedback from an author whom I've admired and a blogger who inspired me.
• Wikipedia's picture of a hogfish looks just a bit different from the ones I see in the water or on the fish-cleaning bench.
• There's still so much about island living that I've yet to conquer:  better boat skills, cleaning fish, handy-woman prowess, native style cooking, free-diving, identification of indigenous plants and much more!

What have you learned from this blog in the last month?  Thanks for continuing along with me!

Welcome to You, Happy Anniversary to Me!

Welcome!  Today is the launch of my new blog, Choosing The Better Life.  I am so pleased that you are here with me.  Together, let’s explore day-to-day island living through my eyes as a “recovering lawyer,” along with the musings that these life changes have brought about for me - all peppered with the striking characters, funny oddities and other random tidbits that cross my path or come to mind.  Thank you for joining me on this amazing journey. May you also choose the better life for yourself, however you define it!

Today’s blog launch is also a “Happy Anniversary” celebration.  Exactly one year ago today, I hopped on a small twin-engine plane bound for this tiny island in the sea, and I began choosing the better life for myself.  I had planned to stay about one week.  That turned into a month, which turned into a few months . . . All of a sudden, an entire year has flown by! 

I did make trips back to the U.S. – not the least of which was to close on the sale of my home up north, hurriedly sell off furniture and pack up the remainder into a U-Haul bound for a South Florida storage unit.

So, here I am, one year later, and I am as happy as a clam – err, conch.  Before I even bought a plane ticket south, I had planned to take a year off from work and had given notice at my law firm.  Although I didn’t dream that I would spend that year on an island, I did follow-through on my intent to JUST BE, to slow down the pace of life, enjoy everything more fully and trust that my path would evolve in a way that is best for me.  And, oh, has it ever!

The last year has been a joyful journey of nesting into my island home, making trips to old friends and new places, experiencing breath-taking views on a daily basis, dancing to rake-n-scrape bands, eating healthier, walking more, learning to drive a boat, snorkeling, being more active than my prior days behind a desk, hosting dinners, getting involved in the community, enjoying an island romance of the for-the-rest-of-my-life variety and so much more.  

One year and a thousand doubts ago, I took a leap.  I am so very glad I did, and I look forward to sharing this adventure with you as it continues!  Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll return.