When Doug and I first moved to Mexico we had a dream in our minds. We would work a little and play alot. We would enjoy the beach, the culture and the people. We wanted a simpler, easier life. Eight years later, Mexico is now our home, commonplace to us. Sometimes we lose sight of our dream and take it for granted. Yesterday we took a rare day off and traveled up the coast to other small towns, suddenly it all came back to me, I loved the sight of the palm trees swaying in the breeze, the blue sky with it's cotton ball clouds, the emerald green of the Gulf of Mexico here in the Yucatan. I remembered an email that I had received a few years ago and started searching the internet for it.
Before you decide to make a move to the Yucatan take a moment to reflect on the story below:
Story of The Mexican Fisherman
An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied, “Only a little while.”
The American then asked him why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish. The Mexican replied that he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The American then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor.”
The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats; eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”
To which the American replied, “15 – 20 years.”
“But what then?” asked the Mexican.
The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would sell your company stock to the public and become very rich; you would make millions!”
“Millions – then what, senor?”
The American said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”
Author Unknown
When I read this it gives me goosebumps, isn't this all we really need? To enjoy life, have time for family, friends and a glass of wine while watching the sunset? Since Sean and Susan, Doug and I have bought Mayan Living Real Estate we have been working day in and day out to bring it to a different level, I had forgotten for a minute why I am here.
I think that Kenny Chesney was thinking of this when he wrote his song The Life Take a minute to listen to it and let me know what you think.
Precious Amiga,
ReplyDeleteI just had a long Spanish lesson with my housekeeper here in OK and as always she comes up to my belly-button. I am short by US standards. She has footprints all over my backyard and speaks fluent Spanish but has never been to MX and fervently says she will never go there. Tomorrow, I will show her videos of our village and perhaps show her the "real" Mexico and the wonderful people.