Are you married? No, divorced.

And your friend? No, she hasn’t found the right one.

And these are your children? My son, and her nieces.

But, Do you work? Yes.

A series of casual questions posed by our lancha capitan as we made small talk yesterday morning before leaving to San Juan. 

As the conversation progressed I was reminded that many women around the world, and moreso most women in this region, are not able to stop work, and travel across the world for two weeks, just because.

This, amongst many other things, makes me overwhelmed with gratitude for the blessings of;

Family who encouraged me to pursue a career that allows me to financially survive without a partner. 

Family who supported me through a divorce. 

Family, and a best friend, who support me in caring for and raising my son. 

The opportunity to introduce my son to another country and culture. 

A lifelong friend that encourages me to travel to and experience new places. 

That same friend who is a master planner and because of that planning, this trip with all of it’s intricacies, has gone so smoothly.

For the industry of the human race; the innovative ways that things can be done with such limited access to supplies and such difficult terrain will never cease to awe me.

This body, that even when I haven’t done the best job in it’s conditioning, continues to allow me to move around in this world.

For the family God sent me to, the people I am blessed to be surrounded by, my sons beautiful soul that God entrusted to my care, the free land in which I was born, and the opportunities I was afforded to get me to today.

But back to where it started; this gorgeous day, atop this magnificent volcanic lake. Experiencing all of it BECAUSE of these blessings.