Irie

Diamond Falls. Grey water from minerals.

A funny thing happened following our week in Saint Lucia, though not right away. Having come in on a late Sunday flight and having hit the hay at about 4 am, on Monday we were both exhausted and stressed over our delayed luggage. I managed to go to the optician to get my glasses fixed (I had napped on them and bent them), but I couldn't make supper. Japanese takeaway to the rescue. I showered. We crashed early.

Tuesday was a whole 'nother story. I was still tired, but somehow I had energy. I did a load of laundry. I made a turn around my garden and took photos. I took my cart down the hill to the Refill Shop and to Donald's (oops, City Avenue) and hauled a rather heavy load back up. We already had some leftover curried lentil soup to heat up for supper, but I made a batch of whole wheat naan to go with it (and slipped in a nap while the dough was proofing).

After supper, still feeling tired but weirdly energized, I did some guitar improv, recorded a song idea, and practised about half my set, playing and singing. And it wasn't just that I managed to play. I also felt uncharacteristically confident in the sounds I was making.

I didn't go flat-out again on Wednesday, but I still felt energized. I did a bunch of garden work, wrote most of the previous blog post, and transferred photos. I had a nap, and then I made supper (kofta kebab on naan). While I was preparing the food, I realized I was doing it at a slower pace. I tend to move pretty quickly in the kitchen, sometimes too quickly. This time I was relaxed and focused. I still managed to leave out a spice ingredient (I have a bad habit of skipping around ingredient lists), but I was almost there.

I felt a little mellower on Thursday, but still noticeably more positive than usual, and still with the energy. My brain seems to be functioning unusually well. Sussing out Wordles in three or four, giving Sweetie quality help with the Spelling Bee, and finishing the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle, a particularly tough one.

We often say that we feel rejuvenated after a vacation. We expect a vacation to make us feel that way. But this particular rejuvenation feels more powerful than usual. I seem to have got renewed in body and spirit more than I expected.

I have been feeling for a while that the pandemic had brought extra aging and a fundamental weariness. I feel that this holiday has taken at least some of that away. During the worst of the pandemic, my CPU clock got set higher, even though I was doing almost nothing but errands and chores. My clock speed is definitely slower now. CPU functioning is much improved.

Soufrière from Anse Chastenet Road

Some of that happened because we had a relaxing time and good experiences, such as the snorkeling trip and the botanical garden visit. But some was because of other experiences.

A place you've never been before comes with a new set of challenges, and we faced some. New situations to understand, new problems to solve, new things to accomplish—those are good for my brain and body. My solo trek into Soufrière and back showed me that we were not isolated on our hill, able to get about only by motor vehicle. It was a great physical challenge to overcome as well and has left me with lingering positive feelings. Dealing with the need for cash and not freaking out (for too long) was also good.

Something close to magic happened during that week. The island cast its spell. Partial immersion in a different culture, especially eating a lot of local food and interacting with local people on a daily basis. A town that charmed me. The manic energy of Smith of Exciting Tours Saint Lucia (and the music he exposed us to). The lush Diamond Botanical Garden. All the sea life of Anse Piton Marine Reserve. The birds at our villa that wanted us to give them fruit. The Antillian crested hummingbird that was content to feast on all the tubular flowers on the grounds. The rich plant life around us badly in need of a soaking rain.

The Saint Lucian people I met had an air of calm assurance about them. They know who they are. They are very much a part of their land and their culture. I, as a modern person, have only tenuous connections to my own ancestral culture and am mostly surrounded by a post-cultural world created by barely regulated market capitalism. I need to get me some of that calm assurance. I need to find that rootedness.

I don't know how long the good stuff will last. I know it can't be bottled. I just hope the lessons stay with me even as the feeling fades. And that my clock speed stays where it is.

You show them you're vaccinated and they put this on your wrist