Paradise Found

I am a firm beliver in that you must go through hell to understand heaven... My trip to Phuket was a similar scenario. After 3 days of disappointement, we finally found what we were looking for. A small, non tourist town off of Ao Yang and Cape Panwa finally showed us what the real Phuket beaches looked like. Tourquoise water, white sand beaches, lush green mountains, and a sense of peace like no other. We made it to Sheridan's ship and spent the night. The day was filled with swimming and diving off of various high points on the ship.. and eventually work. It is hard to watch people work before finally saying "what can i do to help?" So Matt and i got our hands dirty, literally, and disassembled and cleaned whinch gears. Let me tell you what a pleasure it is to smell like diseal fuel for 3 days... ok, that is sarcasm but it is true the smell lingers for days at a time. In the end we didnt mind because we were learning something new, and doing our part to repay them for their generosity.
After a lovely "ship-made" (as opposed to "home-made") meal we retired the daylight with Pilaties on the bow at sunset. It was such a moving experience... mentally, spiritually, and physically... Tree is a much harder position to hold when the ground you stand on moves with the ocean tide. Divine has been so present on this entire journey, but even more so in that moment. The colors of the sky changed every second from oranges, pink, and purple. The beautiful white 150 meter (approx 450 feet) Buddha perched up high on the mountain side seemed to be peering down at us, blessing us with every breath we took. I was so proud of Matt and Sheridan for stepping outside of their comfort zones and tying pilaties and meditation. And even more proud to hear how much peace they felt and their interest to continue this practice.
This trip has had such a beautiful unfolding. Once expectations were let go, and the decision to simply go with the flow was made, everything seemed to fall into place... and in a better way then i could have ever planned myself. The precense of Divine is everywhere and the more open i became, the more i became aware. The sunset in Nia Yang on our last night in Phuket was probably the most aware i had become so far in Thailand. The colors changed every moment, reflecting beautiful colored shimmers off the lapping ocean. Thai and travelers alike sat in silence and aww along the shore as the ball of fire dropped below the horizon, as if the "Amen" of a beautiful prayer the sky had just said. I will never forget how i felt in those moments... the smile radiating from my face, and tears sneaking down my tanned cheeks. Now more than ever i was aware i have come here for a reason and all is really well, even in its lack of definition. A calm swept over my body, soul, and mind and i was at peace. It became abundantly clear that paradise is not a place, but a feeling within ourselves that must be released and savored in its magnificance. We are all capable of finding it... the question is are we willing...