Island time

A morning in Nusa Penida, a tiny island off the southern coast of Bali

The scene as I write this morning

The light on the water at this moment is milky, swaying and full of subtle color as it sways and dances. It is incredibly clear, full of bright beautiful life and warm in a way that is hard to describe. The sun rises and sets here on this beach. We get to experience both each day. 

​To disconnect from the daily flow of how my life has formed these past few years, let go of my responsibilities and fully step away into another country, far from the US, has been healing. Having a young child and Covid have kept us closer to home these past years. It is lovely to peel back the layers and remember the freedom that releasing habitual patterns can bring. I have noticed how complicated and over planned our lives have become - or my life has become. It has felt like every hour, every minute has been accounted for and to have the openness of connecting with this place, its slower gentle rhythm, the life of the animals and plants, water and people is like returning to a home I’d forgotten long ago and that lives like a memory in my bones.

An incredible view from a hike on a small island near Labuan Bajo. There was a pink, white and black beach from this vista and you can see the rainbow in the distance as the sun was rising.

We have been swimming with fantastically beautiful brightly colored fish in the clearest of waters among healthy thriving coral. I got to swim just about as close as you can get alongside an old beautiful turtle, its eye looking deeply into mine as we moved together toward the surface. It was magical. We’ve snorkeled in shallow waters with baby sharks and walked among Komodo Dragons on Komodo Island, seen a family of monkeys on a pink sand beach, thousands of huge “flying fox” bats, and more. What an adventure.

The Naturalist guide took my phone and ran ahead of the Komodo Dragon to capture this image after the sudden uproar in the crowd when this big male went lumbering by.

I sit here now at sunrise in Nusa Penida, a tiny island off the southern coast of Bali, Indonesia. It may come as a surprise, but we have family here in Bali. I have not seen them since my brother’s wedding 16 years ago to Yuli, who is from a tiny town called Dousa in the north of Bali near Singaraja. Over those years, I have grown to deeply love my sister in law, and have seen her sisters, brother, mom, uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews in passing on video calls but have not spent time with them or spoken the same language. Covid kept us from visiting when we planned to go last time in March of 2020. But being here all these years later, I am hit with such an unexpected and big wave of deep love for these people. We have found our way through a strong mutual current of shared love to connect beyond the few words we have in common. I knew we were here in large part to connect with Yuli’s family, but I didn’t realize I’d be expanding my heart so much with this love and I find myself tearing up as I write this, recognizing the joy and the vulnerability of it. I see now with an unwavering clarity that they are my family too and I am now bound by a love that will open layers of meaning and belonging in my soul and in theirs. I am so grateful.

Last night I learned that Yuli’s sister Rina, an incredible massage therapist, has to leave the country and move to Romania to work (there is a large population of Balinese massage therapists and appreciation for the style there). This is a sad thing, she would never leave her family if she didn’t have to go, like many Balinese people. There is very little work in Bali now after Covid and tourism has fallen so much. People are really struggling to survive. My heart aches for her and her family and I also know what an incredible thing it has been to have Yuli in our family, so perhaps some lovely unknown things await her on her adventures.

The sun has now reached above the clouds and is getting too bright and hot to stay at this table so I will sign off for now and look forward to connecting again soon. I will leave you with a photo from last night from my brother’s birthday celebration. He couldn’t be happier than to be here to celebrate with his Balinese family. It was such a delight to be surrounded by their energy, songs and love. 

Our Balinese family and US travel companions. Skye, beaming and happy in the middle, celebrating his birthday last night. Rini is next to me on the left and Yuli is next to the post in a white shirt on the right.

I hope you find the respite you need and the heart expanding gifts that are offering themselves to you at this time. Look for them…they are there like little gems beaming love right into your being. 
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Much love to all,