Oh, and so much more to come. But first, an anecdote.
I woke up early every day in Costa Rica. Our bungalow (or "jungalow", as I prefer) was an open structure, protected only by lattice and screens, and so when the birds woke up , I woke up. I usually tried to go back to sleep, but on my actual 30th birthday, I was up before 6. I waited until I heard my mom leave for her early beach walk, then slipped on my sandals and headed over to the water myself. I dawdled a little bit, to let my mom get ahead of me so that I could have the beach to myself.
Even though it was slightly overcast, it was a beautiful morning. Every morning on the southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is beautiful; not to be a broken record here, but it is like paradise there. Anyway, the beach was empty in all directions and I kicked off my shoes and walked down to the water's edge. I've been at a crossroads lately, with the job thing and the school business and my inability to find someone with whom I'd like to procreate, or even have a drink with. So there I was, on a day I'd been dreading so much, on the edge of the continent and closer to the equator than I'd ever been before. I thought it might be an opportune time for the universe to give me a sign of some sort.
I splashed along the water's edge, letting the warm waters of the Caribbean wash over my feet and watching the sand crabs scuttle. I was lost in thought: was I doing what I should be doing? Was I living where I should be living? Was what I had--friends, accomplishments, possessions--the right amount of stuff for a successful, modern 30 year old woman to have? Was I even supposed to know the answers to these questions?
A perfectly smooth, deeply black rock caught my eye. It looked out of place in the soft white sand, more like a wormhole than a shell. I picked it up; it was heavy for its size and egg-shaped. No sand clung to it. It was warm. I hefted it for a moment, enjoying the feel of it in my palm, and turned to face the ocean, the biggest wishing well of them all. Let me find love, I wished silently, squeezing the rock. I threw it out into the surf as far as I could.
As soon as the rock left my hand, before it even hit the waves, a wet ball of brown fur whizzed by me at top speed and my mom put her hand on my shoulder and said, "Are you making him fetch for you? Tsunami will be so jealous!"
Two seconds earlier, they had been out of sight down the beach, I swear.
Mommy and Tsunami. That's the answer the universe gave me. The lesson here, people, is to be very specific when you are making requests of the cosmos. The cosmos are very busy and they do not have time to interpret your melodramatic wishes. If hot monkey love is what you're after, don't downplay that.
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