SEASons Greetings
As most of you know or can guess we are now at our winter residence. We have been here almost four weeks and are back to our routine of living. Our condo association meeting is over and now we have about a month of relative quiet until the folks from up north start to really pour in. But we are far from tranquility as we are in the middle of construction zones – a three storey building at the corner and a highrise on the beach two blocks away. (We can see the boom crane from our kitchen window.) And there is a move on to bury many of the electrical lines around town.
It is the Dia festivo de la Revolucion - as is the US, Mexico moved holiday celebrations to Mondays to create three-day weekends. And the festival for St. Cecilia is going on for on of the churches on the other side of the highway; although by far the largest, Our Lady of Peace is not the only church in town. So there have been a few 'booms' in the mornings.
Any surprise that Mrs.T has been in the water already? Or already riding the horses? (She has been on a rather docile one named Simon.) And the other day she thought she was going to see a polo match – anything with horses, you know – that turned into more of an adventure driving around the municipality.
Mrs.T put together some guidelines she has learned from her divemaster Alex:
Greetings from the seas. I am, I suppose, a stepchild of Neptune. I love the sea. I have a friend Alexander Sanchez who is my divemaster. He guides me and teaches as I explore the wonders of the Pacific Ocean near Puerto Vallarta. Today I want to share with you THE WISDOM OF ALEX.
GO SLOW, YOU'LL SEE A LOT MORE
Alex told me this the first time I dove with him years ago. Under the sea if you swim around frantically you will go right past some of the most interesting things. You will scare away other wonders. But if you float casually along you will see a lot more and some of the more shy creatures will actually come out to greet you. This might actually be true above the sea too!
I CAN FIX ALMOST ANYTHING, BUT YOU HAVE TO BREATH FOR YOURSELF
When you are diving there are lots of dive related problems the divemaster can help you with. If you are too light he can give you more weight. If you are too heavy he can take weight away or add air to make you buoyant. If you are lost he can show you the direction to go. If you are low on air he can share air with you. But you have to do the breathing. You should never hold your breath. In life I think there are always some things you must do for yourself and you should not hold your breath then either.
DO NOT GO DEEPER THAN ME OR GET AHEAD OF ME
In other words follow the leader. Everyone these days wants to be a leader but there is a lot to be said for a good follower. When you are diving you want a leader who is familiar with the territory, someone who knows the dangers to look out for as well as the direction you need to go. You need a divemaster who knows where you plan to go and is familiar with the things you hope to find. When you are diving it is important to choose a divemaster who is responsible, trustworthy, and careful because you are trusting him with your life. Once you have found that divemaster, you need to listen to him and follow his directions. The leader should always go first so that he can pick the best route, and spot any dangers or special sights. It is a very poor follower who ignores the advice of the divemaster or who swims in front of him. This could be said of other followers. If you have found a good leader perhaps it is well to let him lead.
DANGER - DO NOT TOUCH
There are some underwater things you should not touch even though they may look attractive. Stonefish, and lionfish have poisonous spines. Guitarfish give electric shocks. Fire coral can cause allergic rashes. One of the reasons you have a guide is to alert you as to these dangers. In everyday life there is often a time when we want to get involved in something and a wise and experienced person advises us, just stay out of it.
IT WAS A GREAT DIVE; ALL DIVES ARE GREAT DIVES
Alex is a person with a very positive attitude. I believe it would do us all good to find joy and beauty in all of our lives.
Tomorrow (actually today by the time you read this -dt) I am going diving again.
Rebecca only very rarely takes underwater photos not only for technical reasons but also because she would indeed miss many of the wonders under the sea.
Some special notes:
First, we are of course very saddened by the tragic events in 'The City of Light'; our hearts go out to all affected.
Second, congratulations to R and M for formally tying the knot; you know you have all our love.
Finally, although few of you know her, please keep F.E. in your thoughts and prayers as she undergoes treatment for a serious ailment.
Best wishes to all of you to be hit with winter weather. We actually have been a bit warmer than we are accustomed to; Mrs.T says it is hot but I think it merely is a trifle warm.
Dan and Rebecca
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