I woke up with big to-do list flashing on my phone. Almost 10 emails to be replied to, meditation, gym, cleaning, few phone calls.. well like a usual day!
But today I decided not to do things the usual way.
After all, I live in a paradise, people come here from all over the world to take a dip in the crystal clear water that is found on the beaches of this beautiful island. And what am I doing? Day in and day out waking up to a to-do list and finishing the chores, admiring the lovely view from my balcony and feeling grateful about the most beautiful place I live in. What about going out and playing?
Well, it’s not that I do not go to these lovely beaches, but of-late people around me have got busier. Girlfriends are busy with their studies, hubby is deep immersed in work and well I have been busy too.
And so before I left for the gym, I quickly replied to the 5 emails (the ones which had to go with attachments) finished a phone call, did the dishes. And in my gym bag I also packed a bikini, towel, a book, and a brand new kaftan cover-up which had been lying in my closet for a month now
After I worked out I didn’t go to the bus-stop to catch a bus that would take me home. Instead I took a shower at the gym, donned my bikini and with a huge smile put the kaftan and straight went to my favorite road-side French bakery and had a delightful breakfast. I replied to the rest of the e-mails. Finished another phone-call and marched towards the world-famous beaches
The sun was shining, the water was inviting and the beach was empty. It is off-season, so I had the whole place to myself. I got myself a chair with an umbrella. For the next 3 hours I swam, sun-bathed, read, and repeated. It was pure bliss!

The beach to myself.
Pangs of hunger finally made me move from there to a local food-joint. I ordered a meal and was asked by few locals seated on the next table to join them, which I did.
There was a woman smoking a joint and a local drug dealer who gives her the supply, he also doubles up as her driver. The woman worked in London Stock Exchange for 20 years. She had been coming to Saint Lucia very often in the last twenty years, her honeymoon being the first trip. Sadly, the marriage didn’t work out but the love for St. Lucia stayed.
She saved up enough money to buy a house in Lucia and is having a ball here. She has in fact found someone here and they were getting engaged that night. She suffers from multiple sclerosis but her will to make the most of this life amazed me.
A local (rastafari) jewelry maker joined us. He was wearing beautiful golden beads in his braided hair, and in fact gave me few too, which I wore immediately in my hair, which got me a lot of compliments.
After wining, dining and few hearty chats that you do with strangers, I said bye to my new friends and returned home.
I felt good. It was a beautiful day. I plan to make such days more often. After all, you live in a paradise only once.

A book and a beach. What an ideal life!