La Paz--Peace

La Paz literally translated means the Peace. But it is also a growing fishing city in the sea of Cortez in Baja California Sur. Of all my recent trips, this has been my favorite. The waters are so clear , warm, and contain a variety of sea life so abundant that Jacques Cousteau proclaimed it the "Aquarium of the Sea." And you can literally look down at your feet and see fish swimming. It is a tranquil place but the development is starting to pop up and in now time it will be as large and developed as Cabo San Lucas. But in the meantime I will continue to travel there in search of Peace.

Apart from the waters, you will enjoy the sea food. It is so fresh that when I was eating "chocolate clams" (so named because their shells are a brown color), the clam was so fresh it would squirm when I squeezed fresh lime on it. If you love fresh sea food you will understand. If you don’t you might think it strange but such is life.

I also has an epiphany. It happened when I went on a diving trip. I am not certified to dive but they have an option called the Discovery Dive where you are lead by an expert diver, two people at a time to scuba dive. Now understand, that if you have never scuba dove, it is a strange and unnatural sensation to be breathing and suspended in water. Most people panic their fist time underwater. It happened to me. I was ok with the concept and I was descending to ten feet when panic struck and I could not reason it away because the fear came too quick. I wound up coming up and returning to the boat while the instructor and second diver continued.

I was so disappointed with myself because fear had won out over reason, over adventure. I thought, "have I become this kind of person?" Reflecting I noted that I had become that kind of comfortable person that avoids risk and uncertainty. Most might not agree with me, but I had proof with this exprience. I resolved to not be ruled by fear and to take more risks so that I can continue to grow. That has been my way of life and I would continue on that path.

As luck would have it, we had an opportunity for a second dive and this time I was successful in overcoming my fears. The truth is that fear was ever present, but I let adventure and awe consume me more. And at 25 feet below the water, I experienced a world I had only seen on TV. Staying close to the rocks made it easier to be distracted by the colorful and exotic fish, including the Jaw fish, which borrows itself in the sand and uses it large jaws to remove debris from its hole, it is an endless job for the fish. However, when I would look over my shoulder to the deep dark waters of the open ocean, I was overcome with a sense of immense wonder and danger.

I was rewarded on this trip not only for conquering my fear, but by experiencing what it means to live. Most of us work so much that we are not living. The sea of Cortes was life and I was part of it. To bring the point home, on our return trip we encountered a family of dolphins. Some of you might be lucky enough to have seen dolphins riding the wake of boat but in this case, it was not a handful of dolphins but a pack of about 150. The water around the bout simmered with them jumping and swimming along with us. There were massive males and small babies and they followed use for 10 minutes and I felt inspired to be witness and felt the connectedness of things.

The next morning, while the town slept, I went to the beach to recollect my thoughts and soak up the morning sun. Then I took a short trip on a kayak—my first one. And in the peace of the morning with the tranquil sound of the sea, I found what little there is of peace, especially inner peace.