writing for self-discovery

How is it that this place makes me feel good from my hair follicles to my toenails?! It was after midnight when I arrived in Ubud after 28 hours en route. Putu met me at the airport as planned and he and Wayan drove me to Ubud (always exciting especially in the dark!) After about an hour we reached our destination. I was led on a path along vine-covered walls and up a short flight of stone steps to my INCREDIBLE hideaway! I think I have the presidential suite! I reserved a single room, you know the kind with the really small bed? Imagine my delight when I walked into a room with a king bed, soaring 20′ ceiling, a huge 8′ wide x 7′ tall window and a door to a private balcony overlooking these views that I shot a few minutes ago. I asked Putu if this is a temporary room or if it is mine for two months. I was quickly assured that it is MINE!

This morning, at dawn, I was sitting right here with my Discovery Pages notebook, writing. Ahhhhh!

The very large window has no glass. No need. The temperature stays between 75 & 85 at all times, day or night. The broad overhanging roof shields the interior from the daily afternoon showers. For security and structural integrity, bamboo poles, about 2″ diameter, are spaced 4″ apart with a screen behind them. That is the only barrier between me and the amazing sounds of Bali morning. Some of the roosters start cockadoodledooing at 3:30 a.m. (Since that is 4:30 p.m. for me, Minnesota time, I am awake and I check the clock!) They are accompanied by the low muttering of ducks and a constant chorus of insect voices. By 5:00 a.m. the whole thing revs up a dozen or so notches when a million birds of unknown species wake up. I heard a new one this morning and I’ve fondly named it the Worry-Bird. In a Yogi Bear kind of voice it says over and over, “UH OH!…UH OH!…UH OH!”

The lightening sky lures me to the balcony with my writing equipment in hand. A few moments later I scurry back inside for my camera, and a few moments after that another scurry to grab the binoculars. There are two indignant birds battling one another over one very special seed in the rice paddy. What a fuss! I’m watching the whole altercation close up. (Thanks mom and dad for the awesome binoculars!)

A breeze carrying the smokey scent of incense tickles my nostrils. I breathe deeply, the thick richness of the air has already brought moisture back into my winter-starved skin.  And suddenly I’m laughing, my belly shaking and joyful tears dripping from my eyes. It is so good to be here!