A Winter Escape in the Sun

By: France Theriault

There are many things in life that light me up, that bring me delight and abundant joy, however nothing is comparable to travelling.

Over the last two years, I travelled solo which was great and it allowed me to pursue my desire to spend time in nature, visit shops and art galleries, connect with new people as well as eat delicious foods. I believe these travel getaways were wonderful opportunities for me to discover who I was then, as well as what I wanted to experience.. It was also a beautiful way to create new post-concussion stories now that I am in a stupendous place in my wellness journey..

The grayish long days of January were tarnishing my aliveness and clouding my spirit.. I was longing for something different: sunshine, warmth, sand and newness..

Two of my friends were heading to Mexico and after pondering about pursuing my own solo travel journey I decided to join them on their winter escape. On February 1st, we left the cold, the snow and the darker sky for a promised land of ardent sunshine..

Sunshine didn’t let us down, almost every day the sunshine was vehemently sharing his glow and warming us tenderly.. The view of the ocean from the infiniti pool was splendid and I never got tired of looking at the horizon and listening to the waves…

Walking in the sand, feeling the tiny particles of the sand between my toes as I admired the blue majestic sky was divine. Listening to children playing in the ocean, splashing each other or observing them searching for seashells made me happily present to these precious moments..

Waking up early one morning, we waited patiently and with trepidation to see the first hue of the imminent sunrise over the Caribbean sea…The slow transformations appeared in degrading colors of orange, rose and yellow.. Seating at the beach in the tranquility of the promised new day was so wonderful..

Some of my days unfolded lazily and what guided me was my intentions.. Some days relaxing under an umbrella reading a novel followed by a refreshing dip in the water was definitely a sublime intention I embraced . Other days, exploring the city, learning about the rich Mayan culture nourished me. No day was alike and that enchanted me..

One of the highlights of my Mexican getaway was to have a drink at Mercado 60 in Merida, and to listen to live music performances. A margarita in my hand, enjoying rhythmic music in the background and admiring the locals dancing with ease enhanced my aliveness. Foreign words sound beautiful and seeing them dancing with smooth elegance and gracefulness fascinates me…I am eager to learn and explore these two..

Freedom, lightness, escape, living life and having people care for us were absolutely delightful..

Possibilities were infinite.. Small simple moments, flow, discoveries, discussion, exploration and serendipitous magical findings appeared unexpectedly..

I remembered vividly how a few years ago, I felt robbed of joy and the richness of life after having a concussion. Living with chronic physical pains, emotional disturbances and cognitive impairments limited me to fully enjoying life as well as my travel getaways.. At that time, I could only embrace life on a small dosage needing time away from stimulus to recover. Nonetheless each new travel journey left an imprint on me and I have many fond memories I am cherishing and I love to revisit them.

What I learned in this new chapter of my post-concussion life is to seize the day and to say YES to what touches my heart and nourishes my soul..

When I am not travelling I am avidly open to explorations, beauty, human connections, conversation, nature, as well as discoveries that nourish my curiosity and my creativity..

Having to live with a concussion made me realize how life is precious.. I learned and still continue to learn to make the best of everything that comes my way.. Some days I must admit it isn’t easy.. Just like you, I am challenged at times and I find it difficult to see the good in everything or to find beauty in the ebb and flow of life.. What I know for sure is whatever my feelings, it will eventually pass.

When I am overwhelmed, stressed or feeling blue I have many memories to revisit… I love to review my travel photos and to reconnect with the feelings I experienced during my adventures and discoveries..

Travelling certainly nourishes my soul..

France Theriault

*You can follow me on Instagram at Standingbyyourside65 where I share stories, sharing insights about living a beautiful life & meaningful life 9 years after having a Traumatic Brain Injury from a cycling accident.