I visited Roatan, Honduras with my husband for a mini-vacation this past week.  I’m not sure that many people are familiar with the island.  It’s becoming more and more popular as cruise ships make it one of the stops included in their cruises.  That’s how we discovered it.  I fell in love with this gorgeous area - imagine crystal clear water, blue skies, palm trees, ocean breeze, and a beautiful blend of cultures including Spanish, French, and African influences–a magical combination. 

Like most poor countries, the most visited and what most people consider picturesque parts of town are the resorts–the tourist areas.  But, what I discovered that moved me most was the beauty amidst the poverty.  The beautiful locals, their faces, the blend of their cultures, their joy, their loyalty to their island.  The children are what touched my heart the most.  Unlike American children whose job is to learn, have fun–to play, the children of Honduras are expected to work hard.  One day while riding in a taxi on my way to shop for souvenirs, I saw a young boy sitting in the front seat with the taxi driver.  I assumed the boy was the driver’s son and was spending the day with Dad, what we consider “Bring Your Child to Work Day”.  However, to my shock he was a passenger on his way to work; not school-work.  This 10-year old entrepreneur was on his way to sell fruit.  When I asked him how long he’d been working, he said since he was 8.  Luckily I had my sunglasses on, otherwise, he would have seen the tears roll down my cheek.  However, when I stopped to think about it, I realized this is the life they know; this is the spirit of the island–you work and you work hard.  Despite all that,  I still saw the children laughing, smiling, playing soccer, and many who did go to school–schools where one of the most important classes is English class.  Their parents work hard to make ends meet in a country where the average income is $80 a month.  Yet, every time I would ask , “Do you like it here?”; they would always give me the same answer, “Yes, this is home.  This is all I know.” 

All this left me thinking about the beauty of simplicity; what true happiness and true joy really mean, what strength is.  Even without all the commodities of  what we take for granted in the U.S., ballet classes, shopping sprees, etc.–everything we put emphasis on,  there is still peace and true joy that is to be found in simplicity. We so often believe that material things make our lives easier but do they really? 

I walked away humbled by these strong people–”Gente Fuerte.”  I saw first-hand  true beauty…even amidst the poverty.  Thank you, Roatan, for teaching me a lesson or two.  I’ll be counting the days until I see you again.  *One Love* 

(*By the way, if you get a chance go visit this little slice of heaven.  Our resort was amazing - www.barefootcay.com and I highly recommend it.  Then after you’ve had a chance to do some snorkeling, swimming with the dolphins, and scuba diving set aside a day to visit the beautiful locals.*)

Peace, Love, Joy & Abundance

Our little home away from home…

Hubby couldn’t wait to get his hands on some fresh coconut.