As I sit here and contemplate on what I would like to share, I am compelled to not compose something that readers would like to hear but to stay true to the heart. Which is fitting, considering that the name of this blog is “Desires of the Heart.”
“Alright…and so it begins… is what I told myself when I decided to engage in my passion for all things that feel good. Whether that be food, relaxation, health (does not always feed good but rewarding), being beautiful (inside and out), luxury and travel. I have not always been this way. As I was born into a middle-class family with my mom and my 2 brothers in which things didn’t always “feel good” or appear to be “luxurious” at the time. I had a very fast and furious start to my life. I was a single mother at 17 which kick-started me into adulthood at a very young age. A situation that I could not even fathom on how I could overcome but also to get to where I am today. But here I am, writing to you about my most intimate and fulfilling desires. Writing to you about what drives me to continue to work hard so that we can enjoy these life luxuries.
I know that we all should and can desire to experience the best things out of life that can be offered. For me, I found myself engrossed in the love of having a good time. This can be different for some people. However, I found that my first desire was the love of moving around (traveling). I always told myself before my life direction changed that I wanted to travel around the world. For some time, I felt that it was impossible until the day I booked my first flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Now, what I will say is that San Juan is not the first place that I have ever traveled but it was the most memorable. It was the first time that I felt free and the happiest. From the moment that we stepped off of the plane, I immediately felt this wave of joy come over me. As I walked through the terminal and out the front door the air just felt different. You could literally feel and smell the ocean was somewhere near even though you could not see it.
During my first stay in San Juan we stayed at a hotel, called La Concha Renaissance San Juan Resort which was in the middle of the city. It was very lively, and the hotel was filled with young working professionals there to have a good time. What I loved most about this hotel is the beachfront access. The view from our ocean front suite was absolutely spectacular and at night we were so close to the water that you could hear the waves as they were crashing to the shore. During the day, we found ourselves walking through the streets of Old San Juan visiting various locations. From the small traditional hidden restaurants, the architecture, brick paved streets you could just smell the culture all around you. We spent most of our nights beach side at restaurants facing the water with live music, entertainment and amazing food. The mofongo is my absolute favorite!!
In all the times that I spent indulging in a place that was not my home, I felt most at home. The art of traveling or “moving around” as I would say can be experienced by everyone. I only hope that everyone has the ability to set your mind on something that will allow you to experience things that are desirable to you. For me, I needed that push. I needed that inspiration to know that my goals were attainable. I felt inspired to do things different, inspired to work hard so that this would not be the last time I could enjoy these moments. Inspired to be in a position to where these would no longer just be my desires but would be my life.