“The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation. The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace.”- Kate Chopin
Imagine reading this after our breakfast at Beachside Inn – I was at once giddy and excited despite the heavy rains. I once encountered a security guard who told me not to worry about the coffee I spilled. He said that connects me to Mother Earth. From that mindset, I saw the rains as blessings of #graceupongrace. Why? This month of January 2023, my daughter is expected to give birth, and the rains were pouring on the night of our anniversary.
We took a road trip where the rains met us not while traveling but when we had already checked in. There was no rain while we did our sightseeing.
Hubby took me on a drive up to Hope Ranch. What a beautiful drive even with the rains, the orange flowers from the aloe plant were symbolic that our mutual love is still alive.
Having this celebration made me look back that our enduring marriage was due to several factors: honesty in communication despite difficulties, road trips to enjoy each other’s company, celebrating each year of our anniversary, date nights, doing thoughtful things for each other, friends validating our personal strengths and common social causes of activism we both support, and serving others.
With that aspect of service and mentoring others – we mature, we grow, we are open to feedback, and we keep improving ourselves to be our best selves to each other.
Hubby and I dined at the #1 restaurant in Santa Barbara, Toma, and walked a few steps to it. I did not plan it to be that close, but given the reviews, it was my choice: fresh halibut, octopus salad, salmon with crispy skin, and gnocchi with Argentinian shrimp capped with a chocolate oozing dessert/tart. Yummy!
The next day, we met Rina for mass at the Monastery of Poor Clares. After, she took us to Alessia, the #1 breakfast place in Montecito. It was yummy to my tummy, to say the least, but also presented well.
Rina gave me a tour of Montecito, where I saw Meghan and Harry’s front gate and Oprah’s front gate. To protect their security, I am not posting, given the British tabloid press’s insatiable appetite to create false news.
We then went to Rosewood Miramar Hotel, developed by Rick Caruso, a former LA City Mayor candidate. We sat looking at the beach and talked for hours, exchanging soul-to-soul stories and acquiring wisdom from transcending our challenges. The Manor House, the railroad tracks, the cottages by the sea, and the gardens were all well-manicured and developed well.
From Rina’s stories, she shared Fr. Virgil Cordano’s homeless day center. I requested to visit it, and we met her daughter. In that center, I found nuns and lay volunteers helping marginalized homeless residents with two meals a day, a recliner to take a nap, an art and computer center, a chapel, a place for haircuts, and four appliances to do laundry. Respect and Community and Compassion. The Center is a project of both Daughters of Charity Nuns and Franciscan priests. I venture to say it is a best practice center where unhoused folks are treated with respect. Showers Blessings is a partner to help homeless folks get their personal grooming needs met. Funds are donated.
In the evening, we dined at the #1 sushi place patronized by the locals of Montecito, where the likes of Stedman Graham, Oprah’s fiancee, eat. It truly was the best dinner we had, as well as Toma’s. We had Tower, merry-go-round, sashimi, bass, salad, and more. For ice cream, we walked several yards to Rotis. I noticed that walking and short travel distances contribute to a better quality of life: longer playground hours, longer bike rides, long walks, and even longer kayaking and surfing times.
On our last day, we traveled via Malibu and appreciated the voice of the sea once more. The voice of the sea was prominent in both our outbound and inbound travel.
Backstory:
This year marks our 44th wedding anniversary. We were married on Jan.4, 1979, with only 25 folks which included my family and my stepson, Keith.
All photos of our wedding were taken by Van Lim, a UPI photographer chosen by my husband. Van captured the emotional peak of the moments.
We renewed our vows with Fr. Camilo Pacanza at St. Lucy’s Church a decade and some years back. He persuaded Enrique that three decades have passed. We got our vows renewed, with God and God’s steward with us.
Do I still get excited about celebrating it? I do, and now that we are less in youth and more in age, the year goes fast, and I stretch the celebration to days.
Happy 44th anniversary, Enrique de la Cruz – my dad did not bet on us lasting this long, and you thought we would last only five years? God certainly has a better plan than even my dad or you, or I can conceive. Here’s to more Caminos!!
P.S. Thank you to my dear family and friends for helping us get here