Its a virtual adventure through life.
Together we will travel to far off places, experience new cultures, embrace new perspectives, face mounting challenges, and find hope and peace amidst conflict & injustice.
I find a sense of adventure in everyday life. After thirty years on this little planet its about time I share with the world my sense of adventure! And hopefully in the process I’ll inspire readers to marvel in the little beauties that surround us all.
I don’t fully know everything I will write about in this blog, figuring that out is part of the journey!
What I do know is that I want to share with you my experience in life and living, as I tackle unanswerable and trivial questions all the same – and most importantly, revel in all life has to offer. I will share with you my successes, failures, and everything in-between.
The world we live in is constantly changing and our society is increasingly complex. We each face unique challenges that are equally important to us as individuals, yet we are so deeply connected to one another. I hope that this blog sheds new light on how we are connected and the essence of one race, one humanity.
I also promise you that this blog will be fun! Finding humor in daily musings is a key ingredient to living more gracefully.
Why is the name of this blog ViveVivir?
The single most valuable lesson I’ve learned in the past decade is – Vive y Deja Vivir – Live and to Let Live. It’s not one of the traditional lessons we learn at school, or from our parents, or by making a mistake at work. Its more of a philosophy on life. And it’s certainly not a philosophy that came from my childhood growing-up in New England – or my unrelenting & military-like work ethic!
Where it originated, I don’t really know. Where I learned it, well its been a 10+ year learning curve. And it all started in a little archipelago of islands off the coast of Panama in the Caribbean sea called Bocas del Toro. There I was after nearly two years of living in the land of Pura Vida (aka Costa Rica). I was so far from understanding what Vive y Deja Vivir meant (and even further from being Pura Vida!) and then I found myself in this little family-run restaurant (or ‘Soda’ as they call it) on Isla Colon. The restaurant name – Vive y Deja Vivir. What the place represents? How the strength of family bonds can run an enterprise that provides the basic elements for a good quality of life – the core of community resilience. It consisted of a small bar area with a few stools, 3-4 tables with brightly colored plastic chairs, and some of the best soul food you will ever eat. On the menu – plato del dia is it – coconut rice, slow cooked lentils, and spicy stewed chicken for about $3.00. It’s all about the simple pleasures of life.
What the name represents, a secret to living more gracefully. And somewhere in between lunchtime daydreams – and bites of the lentils & coconut rice – is where my learning began.
Want to share your ideas?
Please share your reactions, convictions, and insights vis-a-vis the comments feature on this blog. I want to hear what you think! That is part of this journey.
If you want to contact me directly, send an email to rdharned@gmail.com.
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Vive Vivir Project 
This is great Becca! I look forward to reading more 🙂
wonderful format, content and insights. Keep them coming!
Becca,
You sound like an extraordinary woman! Danielle told me that she shared my tip “Stop the World, I want to Get Off” with you. I am glad that it has helped confirm the next step in your journey.
I have learned on my own “journey” is that it is important that I stay “Grounded in God”, be my “Authentic Self” and “Speak my Truth”. When I do that, life seems to get more simple. The challenge is to consecrate the time to be “still” and become grounded. May you find the time to do so.
Five years ago, I too took time off to reassess my life and purpose and “deliberately turned my own life upside down. I called it a “modified sabbatical” and removed anything “non-essential from my life. At the end of the year,my priorities and focused had changed. I was a much happier person and I created the program “Journey Back to Self”. It is now a recorded CD and I write monthly self help tips. If you are interested in additional insights as you move through your journey, go to my my web site, http://www.TryaNewPerspective.com.
JoAnne Ceccarelli-Egan LCSW