Sunday, January 17, 2016

Slow



I met a lovely Cuban architect on the coast in Oaxaca who told me many interesting stories -- including a parable about a fisherman and an investment banker.  Feel free to exchange the characters for say, yourself and any bossypants know-it-all who wants to give you advice about how to live a good life. 

A banker is on vacation, sitting on a pier in a peaceful coastal village in Mexico when a boat approaches.  The banker admires the quality of the fish, but notices there are only three in the basket; he asks how long it took the fisherman to catch them. The fisherman said it only took a little while.  “Why not stay out longer and catch a few more?” the banker asked. 
            “Well, I have one to eat now, one to give to my wife to prepare later, and one to sell in the market.”
            “But what do you do with the rest of your time?” The banker asks. 
            “Well, I sleep in, do some fishing, play with my children, take a nap with my wife. . . and then we usually take a walk in the village, have a glass of wine and play a little guitar with my friends.  My life is busy and full.”  The banker digests this.
            “. . . but if only you spent more time fishing, you could sell more and buy a bigger boat – then eventually a whole fleet of boats.  Instead of selling your catch to the middle man, you could sell directly to a processing plant. . . you could even open your own cannery.  With the success of your business, you could move to Mexico City, then to LA. . . maybe even to New York City.”  The fisherman contemplates this possibility.
            “How long do you think that would take?”
            “Probably 15-20 years.”
            “. . . and then what?” The fisherman asked.
            “Well, this is the best part: at that point, your company will be worth millions, and you can sell stock in the business and become very rich!” 
            “Hmm. . .” The fisherman considers this.  “What would I do with all those millions?”
            “Well, then of course you would be able to retire to some small fishing village where you could sleep late, fish a little, spend time with your friends and family and play guitar.”



I greeted 2016 with some wonderful friends in Cuernavaca, about an hour south of Mexico City.  We had a feast and fireworks, and Lya and I climbed a mountain on New Years Day.  At the top of this mountain in Tepoztlan – a town which is categorized as a ‘pueblo magico,’ along with another of the towns I happened to visit – is a pyramid.  On the journey to the top, we were accompanied by people of all ages and states of health -- adorning footwear of varying degrees of practicality.  

Teddy and Noura

Lya, David and Teddy
Lya, Teddy and Noura

Peacocking inspiration.  I don't look this good when I do it.

We took our party south to a favorite spot on the coast of Oaxaca.  There we visited with new and old friends, watched sunsets and moonrises, sang boleros with Mario at the dinner table, roamed remote beaches and let the waves wash away 2015 and carry in the possibilities of the weeks and months ahead.  In a neighboring town, I met an old friend who I call The Tall Spaniard -- we bathed in the salty sea, I taught him how to open a coconut with a machete, and I allowed him to defeat me in various racquet sports before I returned to the cliffs above the ocean for a few more days of rest and yoga and music.  A group of birdwatchers arrived, quietly watching and waiting.




early morning surfing (I watched)



Pierre found this in New York and was reminded of a song by The Snow

All roads seem to lead back to Guanajuato, my home away from home.  Here, I am floating through the days, taking my time, not worrying too much about anything, doing a little tan maintenance, and slowly plotting my next steps with my friend and soothsayer, Hugo.

watching over the winding alleyways leading up to El Pipila, the hero of Guanajuato







age, layers, beauty
Hugo and afternoon coffee in a Parisian cafe, just steps from home



1 comment:

  1. My god, that story of the fisherman is ringing many bells in my psyche! A move is coming....

    More soon via call or email, but so good to see all your pictures, and to be inspired by your example! xoT

    ReplyDelete