HEART & SOUL
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Keeping The Geckos
by Leslie Karen Lobell, M.A.
Life is ever changing,
bringing us new lessons every day. Life calls on us to make little adjustments,
changes in perspective, all the time -- and sometimes big ones, as well.
Whether you move to a new locale or remain in the same town all your
life, as they say in consciousness work, "shift happens." The island
of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands, where I now live,
is certainly no exception. Many people move here from places with a
very different style and pace of life. For those who have grown up here,
the changes that have come with development have been fast and vast:
Providenciales is not the same place it was five years ago, let alone
ten or twenty! However, Providenciales certainly is not unique: change
is happening everywhere in our world. Whether you inhabit a quiet Caribbean
island, a small town, or a big metropolis -- and whether you just moved
to a new home or have lived in one place all your life -- a certain
amount of flexibility is a key to survival and happiness. Not long after
I moved to Providenciales, I saw a gecko (a type of lizard) on the wall
inside my home. My partner tried to chase and shoo it outside. The gecko
almost got to the door, then quickly turned around, zoomed back into
the bedroom, and hid under the bed where we couldn't reach it. I was
on my way out the door for gym class, so we let it be. After class,
I was having coffee with a few women, and I mentioned the morning's
excitement. One woman informed me, "You should always keep a few geckos
around the house: they eat the bugs." Immediately, I changed my perspective.
Suddenly this "creature" that I desperately needed to get outside became
a "pet" that I wanted to keep inside. I went home and informed my gecko
friend that, if he was willing to eat the mosquitoes, he was welcome
to stay in my home. So began a new attitude, and a new relationship.
The next gecko that came into my home was never chased, only welcomed.
Though I grew up within 50 miles of New York City and enjoyed going
there often, I like a slower pace of life. Island life tends to suit
me: some of my fondest memories are from my stay on a small Greek island
that had more farm animals than tourists. I always felt embarrassed
when I heard stories of "ugly Americans" who visited Greece and complained,
"Why don't these people learn English?" Similarly, here in Providenciales,
I am a bit baffled by people who come here and want/expect restaurant
service or other things to happen at a very fast pace. Why go to the
Caribbean if you want to be on New York time? Why not relax and enjoy
the view of the sun setting over the beach or the conversation you are
having with your companion(s)? Some of us so desperately need to learn
to take pleasure in "being" rather than "doing"! Some people feel called
to be revolutionaries, to go against the tide, to make big changes in
their outer world. Many people would benefit from learning to trust,
to have patience, to surrender to life, and to make little changes in
their inner world. I don't remember who said it first, but "the only
thing constant is change." In order to be happy or at peace, we frequently
need to make a little attitude shift. You may prefer to fight against
the tide. Me, I generally prefer to go with the flow, to row my boat
gently down the stream. That's why I'm keeping the geckos.
Copyright ©2000-2001. All rights reserved. Leslie Lobell
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