Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Colors of the island

How can one not feel happiness when everywhere you go there are tropical plants, colorful flowers, fruit bearing trees, astonishing palms and fascinating cactuses brighting up your life. The scents and the colors and the interesting structures of plants and flowers are made to give your mind a rush of excitement and to kick up your endorphin level a notch. Scientist claim what most of us already know, but many seem to neglect: that the climate, the weather, the air temperature and the colors we surround us with are critical for the human beings mental well being and when spending longer time here in the tropics I more than ever understand the importance of it all. There is absolutely nothing in the surroundings of this island which could make one feel even the slightest bit down or frustrated like it would back home in Scandinavia in the ambiance of grey heavy skies, constant downpour and dark cloudy days. I often find myself smiling here for no real reason just while walking on a random road and I realize it is those simple little things which gives the mind some sort of balance and fulfillment. The natural things - the green leaves on the threes, a clear blue sky, the scents from beautiful flowers, birds singing above your head, frogs and crickets playing their background symphony in the nights. It is a paradise we live in at the moment and I feel utter thankfulness for our warm and colorful life we've chosen as ours, each and every day. If both me and Alex for many years have been convinced that a cold country is not for us to live in, we are even more sure of it all after these new experiences and places we encountered in the Caribbean. Beautiful Antigua in particular. /T