Viva la Pura Vida Travel far enough away, my friend, and you'll discover something of great beauty...yourself. - O

When I was six years old, my father took me to the neighborhood pool to learn to swim. For three hours I sat at the edge of the pool, refusing to go in. Finally, my father picked me up and dropped me into the water and into the waiting arms of the swim instructor. To my surprise, it was bliss. I was weightless, flying through the pool. I heard nothing but a perfect stillness when I held my breath underwater. My fears had melted away.

This is what I think of as I stand at the edge of the hot spring. It’s nighttime. The full moon is out, shining brilliantly against the starry sky. Ferns, trees, and colorful flowers surround me. Arenal Volcano looms down in the distance. I can hear the buzzing of insects, the chirping of exotic birds, and the playful howls of monkeys as they swing through the tree tops.

I take a step into the pool before me. To my delight, the water is hot. It beckons me in and I wade into the hot spring, all my muscles relaxing. The steam melts away my troubles, my worries, my fears. I’m six years old again.

I let myself sink to the bottom of the pool. I can see the surface of the water stirring ever so slightly. I shut my eyes once more and let my body sway gently in the warm water.

Everything is quiet again. Except for one tiny, muffled sound.

My eyes flicker open. I watch as a single raindrop falls onto the surface of the water. It spreads out in never-ending rings. One by one, more raindrops make dents in the surface of the water. They sprawl out, reaching toward one another in growing circles as if they were joining hands. The rain falls harder now, piercing the surface of the pool with a million pin pricks. I push off the bottom of the pool and stand up, half in the water and half out. The cool rain is pouring down now, in perfect harmony with the hot water. The sound is deafening but brilliant. Suddenly, I am neither here nor there. I stand between two existences, caught between phenomena. And in this moment, life is full. It is complete, it is balanced.

The rain relentlessly beats down on the surface of the water, drumming its wild song of life, and I can’t help but laugh out loud. Something within me desires to drum along.

I look around. The colorful flowers are now bright as burning flame against the pouring rain. The raindrops beat down on the thick leaves of the trees, louder and louder. The world slows down once more, as it hasn’t since I was six years old. In this moment life has never been so perfect. I am happy and free, natural and alive. I want for nothing. I belong to the world and I understand it completely.

This is Pura Vida as only Costa Rica can do it.