WE JUST got back from what we can say was a working vacation in Boracay. We have never been to the place so we were excited to experience it. Let me not write about the work part but let me share the vacation. Here is a thought before we begin. The word vacation comes from the word “vacante” which as we all know means vacant. And that should give you a clue as to what we should all be like while on vacation. Vacant, empty.
Back to the story. First, the beach was a sight. A long stretch of white soft sand. I have always liked beaches and Boracay was awesome. It has a vibe. There were endless shops, hotels, resorts, spas, restaurants, cafes and of course the eternal stream of foreign tourists. Filipinos are the minority in Boracay. Koreans, Chinese, Koreans, Chinese, Europeans, Asians, Koreans, Chinese, Americans, Koreans and more Chinese. Just an overflow of foreigners.
People were in restaurants and cafes. In bars. People were swimming, snorkeling, diving, getting massages, getting tipsy, and dancing. And there was more eating, more swimming and a lot of walking. We had this amazing breakfast buffet at a place called Chacha’s. You have to eat there to know what their breakfast is like. I am a breakfast eater so that was heaven for me.
Everyone was happy. They were smiling, laughing, and dancing and eating and yes swimming and snorkeling. I asked one of the Tourism heads there what was the average stay of tourists in Boracay and he said five days. I asked how many tourists arrive on a daily basis. He said in the thousands. I believed him. Our guide added that since this was off season, the crowds we were seeing was not even close when the tourist season truly started. I also believed him. He said that during the peak season, people would literally bump each other in tight spaces. I also believed that.
But that is not the point of this writing. Here it is.
After the three-day working vacation, it was back to the same old grind. As one of the team members said, back to reality. I disagree.
Our reality is what we see in Boracay or at least it should be. Our default is swimming, snorkeling, dancing, smiling and laughing.
Our default should be happiness. It ought to be in the final sense, emptiness. Empty of all desires and wants.
We mistakenly identify our nature as to struggle, work, the rat race, competition, selfishness, greed and violence. That is not what we do nor who we are.
In the deepest core we are dancing, swimming, singing, and eating. We are gazers of sunsets and sunrises. We are walks along the beach. We are star seekers. We are as free as sail boats and powerful as the winds of Boracay. Our true nature is the ecstasy of the moment and the joy of now. Our vacations are who we are.
The rest is made.