Two years ago this evening I began a new life in Costa Rica.
Seven years ago, I was invited by my dear friend’s Tracy and Frank to visit Costa Rica with them on a birding trip. If you have read my occasional blog posts you know how deeply I fell in love with Costa Rica, her people, her climate and her rich biodiversity. Just a couple of days ago I mentioned to Tracy that on our original trip I had told her that I could easily live here. There were reasons why I didn’t move here immediately but, I’m here now.
The people, my yard, the parks, the towns, the villages and the back roads fill me with love. And the nature. I’ve listed 274 species of birds, 114 of them in my yard. Sloth, deer, snakes, armadillos, possum, butterflies, insects and more, inhabit my yard.
I became friends on the internet with Heather probably a year before I began my final plans to move here. She and her husband Henry have been without question the major reason why my transition has been so reasonably seamless. Heather had thrown herself into Costa Rica life with a passion and has been there to assist me with so many things but more importantly, she has forced me to do many things on my own. Without tough love it would be very easy to let someone else do for you all of the difficult things that have to be done. Thanks to Heather, I was comfortable enough to go my phone company last week to change plans without panic.
I have to thank my family Rebecca, Ryan and Graydon for encouraging my dream, for accompanying me on my second visit here and then, for flying down with the cats and I and helping me to set up housekeeping.
I have received my temporary residency just recently and, I have been blessed every step of my journey. I will turn 76 this summer and I’m living the best years of my life.
Never forget that it’s much harder to regret the things you didn’t do then to regret the things you did.
To paraphrase St Augustine, “the world is a book do not be afraid to turn the page”.