A woman’s mid life transformational journey from the bubble of America to the jungles of Costa Rica
JUNGLE UP & BREATHE
Prologue
“Good morning Costa Rica”, Peter and I bellow out in unison as my three huskies and one small dog with dreadlocks and an under bite, initiate the day with their loud, somewhat mystical howl. At the first signs of dawn, the neighborhood rooster triggers the howler monkeys that hang outside my bedroom window, they call out to wake the dead. One would think they are the size of a gorilla and actually they are the size of a large cat. The monkeys are the instigators that trigger the bewildering good morning howl of my canine quartet. This chain of events happens most mornings, as I greet the new day with anticipation.
Long gone is the time I awake and take for granted the luxury of electricity and water. I now appreciate the simplicities of a life once known. I am living in a solar powered eco home I built where the jungle meets the ocean. I awake to the tropical sounds and share my ocean view with the many geckos and butterflies that dwell upon my large triangular glass window that stands in grandeur overlooking the jungle and ocean.
Here I am 4000 miles from my “comfort bubble”, and still in wonder of how I managed to get here. My son, Ben says to me, “Mom, you have had the best mid-life crisis out of all my friend’s moms”. I say “lets just call it a mid life transformation”. Yes and quite the transformation it has been. My story is about the journey a woman can take when she is discontented with the comforts of life. One day she wakes up, finds herself midway through life, has what most people want and yet she lacks purpose & fulfillment.
It was this lack of purpose, fulfillment and discontentment in the comforts of life that lead me on this journey and why I am living a life where I must “jungle up”. I have coined the term “jungle up” with lack of another word that describes what I have had to do survive here. Much like the term “cowboy up” – when things are getting tough and you have to get back up – dust yourself off and keep trying. I chose to “jungle up”, to confront the jungle within and the jungle, which surrounds my new existence. I chose to “jungle up” rather than drown in the challenges presented when one chooses to take such a ride. The ride from the comfort bubble of America to the jungles of Costa Rica.
My story is about this journey, a ride I boarded into the unknown. I bought the ticket and there was no getting off. I remember the time I took my daughter, Carly to Disney Land. Where there is this charming looking train. I thought this sweet little train would be enjoyable for us, a step above the merry-go-round in the excitement factor. Well, that cute little train for me was the ride from hell, too much adrenaline pumping for my liking. My ride has been somewhat like that little train, with illusion, excitement, and finally peace when it chugs along level ground. 
My story will take you through rivers, mountains, meadows & valleys of many emotions that surface when one chooses transformation over stagnation. When one chooses to thrive on this journey we call life rather than to simply survive.