Last week I had the privilege of hearing a great speaker while capturing photos of the Forest Area Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Luncheon. The speaker for the event caught my attention when she told the story of how she and her husband packed up their kids, left the country to move to Costa Rica and spent one entire year there. Most would think she was crazy, in fact, I thought that at first, but the longer she spoke the more I understood the reasoning for her decision.
In Costa Rica there is a signature phrase which is “Pura Vida.” This phrase is used many different ways, it can be used as a greeting, a good-bye, or even as something to say when something goes wrong. It means “pure life” and there is really no wrong time to use it. They find it an acceptable phrase for any reason or situation.
In this developing country pure life applies to just about everything. Costa Rican culture focuses on relationships between family, friends, neighbors and even strangers. The human relationship takes priority over everything. Even though they may have so little they will share what they do have with anyone. They have chosen to make what really matters a priority.
With Costa Rica still being a developing country, I like to think my home here in the United States is far more advanced. On the downside of that we have become so advanced that we forget to cherish those around us. We get so caught up in what we have to do that if one or two things go wrong we sulk and complain.
Honestly, between trying to get in a week’s worth of work, keep your house together, and keep up with everything going on, I admit it is hard to not push the pure little things of life to the back. We feel because those things have always been there that they will continue to be there. This, in my opinion, has contributed to the decrease in humanity and empathy among us.
The standard we believe that we should reach, keeping up appearances, and keeping up with society in everyday life is so overwhelming that we miss so much. You took your kids to this amazing exhibit, yet you were so busy taking pictures to post on social media that you forgot to stop to enjoy and take in the details that make that exhibit so amazing. You walked right past that elderly man that needed someone to help him in the grocery store, but hey you were late after all. In order to keep up with the high standard that is set for us we neglect the most important human interactions and moments in life.
Maybe it is time we take a more “Pura Vida” approach at life. Let’s love each other, focus on each other and live life ready to help anyone that crosses our path. Put your phone down, talk to your family, go outside, take in the sunshine, play fetch with your dog, live and enjoy the simple life you have been given.
Next time your faced with a choice, choose to embrace that pure life lifestyle. Cherish the relationships you have now because later on when you are faced with death your social media followers will not matter, your money will not save you, and you will long for the relationships you passed up striving to keep up with the standard, when honestly the simplest happiness was right in front of you all along.
Contact Emily Jackson at ejackson@sctonline.net.
