January 2023
El Zonte, El Salvador
(This is how a new year births
a new chapter in this grand adventure we call life!)
It’s the last day of 2022. There’s a big party at the river mouth which this time of year turns into a sandy beach bringing the whole town together. Everyone is dancing around the bonfire making it seem like we are a wild tribe. Glorious!
My friend Griffin, a viking looking man with a stoic calm, stands out amongst this wild scenario, and I’m cracking up watching him dance cumbia with two beers in his hands! Then midnight strikes and fireworks light up the dark night’s skies while a group of men play batucada. Everyone is hugging and jumping with joy. I turn to Griff and say:
“Hey, it’s a tradition of mine to skinny dip for new year’s! Let’s go jump in the ocean!”
He then turns around, even more stoic than before (probably feeling very tipsy now!) and staring into the sky, beyond the fire and the exploding lights, he replies in an extremely calm but firm tone: “FCKIN’ VAMOS”
Another friend that was standing next to us heard this and I could see how that phrase made a statement in both hers and my mind, that there was nothing left to say or do, just…
fckin vaaamos!!!
And so we ran into the crashing waves, butt-naked and feeling more alive than ever!
The best feeling to start a new year, one that dictates my every decision now.
Whatever we want to do, if we believe in it strong enough, we can do it!!!
Just go for it. You got this ;)
Happy 2023!