Diving into the Heart of Love

I'm really gearing up now for our upcoming trip to Bali, departure less than three weeks away.  This dream of Bali has been shimmering before me for so long, since late last summer.  It nearly vanished for a bit, as we slogged through Joe's lymphoma and chemo and temporarily lost the ability to see past the end of our noses.  I had completely surrendered to the idea of not going, and then -- boom -- a way was found and here we are 20 days to take-off!  I am so grateful in so many ways that we are going, Joe and I, that we'll be with Laura and Abe and 21 other lovelies for a two-week yoga and bliss extravaganza.

Mostly right now I am dreaming of the water and making plans for a brief post-retreat diving get-away for Joe and me.  I am so happy underwater, especially with Joe by my side, both of us repeatedly filling our masks with water because we're babytalking the fish or laughing with delight. 

Diving just feels like the right way to celebrate the passing-away of the cancer cloud.  Like a way of literally and figuratively diving back in to our happy place.  Yes! 

And how delightful is it that through my random amblings across the interwebs, looking into this hotel and that hotel, this dive operator and that operator, that somehow, as the clock was ticking down, I found Sea Rovers in Pemuteran.  

I'd become obsessed, you see, with diving at Menjangan Island.  One hotel I looked at, and almost booked, was deeeeeluxe and expensive enough to give me pause.  And to make me give up the reservation.  Beautiful, but uncomfortably pricey.  Others were full.  Lots of automated email replies.  Nothing piqued my interest.

Until I emailed Sea Rovers about the possibility of booking hotel + dive with them and received the most surprising, charming email in reply.  

And yes, I know I'm easy: Paul had taken the time to click through and read my blog.  He made a point of telling me that Sea Rovers serves the best coffee of any dive center in Bali.  He taught me "jammy bugger," utterly fabulous.  What? A reader who dives, loves coffee and uses great expressions, and downloaded the new Janelle Monae album just on my say-so?  Sold!  

And that was before his second email, which he signed "Living the dream and preparing yours."  Hook, line and sinker...

Now, the piece de resistance.  I fretted a tiny bit last night about having to pay our deposit through PayPal to Paul's partner's personal PayPal account.  You just hear so much bad about e-transactions, I don't know.  Anyway, I did it, sent my 80 Euros to the account of a stranger in Australia.  

The partner, Kerry, acknowledged receipt by his reply email.  And asked about the yoga retreat, let me know that they also freecycle, and signed off with, "Life is for Living, Loving and Diving."  Bam!  I am feeling deeply enamored with these people across the globe already, feeling that quick pulse of instant friendship and love that I've come to know so well through yoga (and earlier this week, at the vet!).  Love this feeling.

But hang on. Kerry.  Where had I seen that name recently?  Kerry.  And then I found it, on the links page of the Sea Rovers website.  Kerry is also responsible for a delightful project that I came across on-line earlier this week, and which I gobbled up and instantly posted to Francois's Wall -- The Love Wave.  The purpose of the Love Wave is to spread unconditional love around the globe.  You may be rolling your eyes a bit on this one (there she goes with her weird hippie yoga shit), but really, check it out, it's super-sweet and inspiring.  It made me jump around. 

So wait: how does this happen?  How do I, without knowing it ahead of time, manage to find these people, make this connection, hook in so deep like this?  It seems impossible.  With all of the choices available, the number of resources, dive outfitters, hotels, really?  I'm going diving with the Love Wave?

It couldn't be more perfect and we're not even there yet.  I'm already so happy and I don't even have my mask on.  Seriously, at this point the trip is almost gravy.  It'll be beautiful and sweet and great to dive at Menjangan Island, but I already feel like I got it -- already deep, deep in the heart of love. 

So, so happy to be here!