By Kristina Morgan
I just said goodbye to two of my favorite people, Brad and
Mary. They are both Focus Alumni I met on the Focus
on Mexico
program here in LakeChapala during my very first group (February 2-9, 2008)
after I came on board with FOM as their Public Relations Director. An irony I’d
like to share regarding our friendship is that we are all from Colorado but we had to come to Lake Chapala
to meet!
Since their time here, they have bought a house and have
plans to move here and have visited several times. They were here for a week
this time and I always tell them, “A week isn’t long enough!” On our Focus
programs, it is long enough to know that this is a great place to retire. But
the subsequent visits feel like teasers from past participants who have become
our friends and long to be here permanently.
Time and money are two words that are fairly central to a
life in Canada or the U.S. Here they
don’t hold much meaning. Relationships are what make Mexico hum and why they have such a
strong family foundation. They value people and take the time to invest in each
other, whether it’s by spending every weekend with family (even cousins and
extended family!) or by investing themselves sincerely in their friendships.
This is one of the greatest gifts I have received from Mexico…our decision to
move back here 7 years ago has changed our lives forever.
We’ve been humbled many times by the sheer graciousness of
the Mexican people. To think that as Americans we can come here and learn how
to live and how to love. It continually
amazes me that something so simple and profound, yet foreign, has become as
vital as water to us.
Brad and Mary saw this, too, while they were here and they say
it’s become even more deeply rooted each time they’ve come. They aren’t living
here yet; but they will be. They saw the gentle, simple, humble, friendly,
generous ways in Mexico
and it resonated with them because they are also all of those things. Brad’s
child-like wonder, sense of humor and tenderness endear him to us all and Mary
is genuine, gentle and wise and gives great hugs. I am so thankful that Lake Chapala
resonates so well with people like them!
I am thankful every day for this new life we chose and
created with people we love and those we have come to love!