As I sat in a rocking chair on the porch of my little Costa Rican cottage, I watched an assortment of cars, busses and bicycles zoom by.
With no plans for the afternoon, I hoped to make my way into town via one of Costa Rica’s friendly taxi drivers. Before I made the call, however, an alternative form of transportation caught my eye.
Within just a few hours, I found myself zig-zagging through town and through the countryside on a cherry-red scooter.
For just $20, it was all mine for the next six hours.
I had never driven a scooter, and I had never driven myself through a foreign country. Yet, somehow it seemed like a good idea.
And in the end, it was.
I found myself driving down an old paved road through Costa Rica’s countryside, which took me to a remarkably green and exotic land beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. I found myself speeding along with the other locals at 40 mph, circling and marveling at Arenal’s famous volcano. I found myself stopping by a local chocolate shop, biting into a citrusy-sweet orange peel coated in a layer of fresh chocolate. I found myself stumbling upon hidden natural hot springs tucked away into the rainforest, as all of my worries naturally melted away with the waters.
I found myself trying something new, and discovering something new. I’ve found this applies to almost any experience in our lives. The more things you try (obviously, with a certain degree of safety and common sense,) the more you’ll learn about yourself.
I think this is because any new learned experience requires almost all of our mind to do so. It forces us to forget everything else sifting through our minds, it forces us to remove our anxieties, our expectations, and fully embrace the moment we’re in.
As a notoriously frequent over-thinker, this encourages me to continue trying new things. As I continue to embrace the new people, places and things of Costa Rica and beyond, I find the greatest peace of mind.
Perhaps if we all continue to be where our feet are, to live in our present, we’ll all discover the same clarity.
