Monday, April 25, 2011

A love story ...

This is a true story many years in the making. It all began in 1994 with my first visit to Zihuatanejo, Mexico. The moment I set foot on the walkway along the municipal beach I felt the magic and I knew that something special was waiting for me. I spent three days walking the beach and getting to know the central area of town. I met some very nice people and the food was fantastic but I left feeling like I had missed something.
I returned two years later and for 5 days I walked the beaches and learned more about the town but again I left feeling the same, almost empty, but still hopeful.
I had to wait until 2005 for my next visit and still felt the magic all around me. This visit was for more than a week and I continued to walk the beaches with my mind and my heart open to possibilities but once again, I left with a feeling that I had missed something very real, very important and very beautiful.
I have walked many tropical beaches in theses last 15 years; Malaysia, the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic, Key West and I enjoyed those walks thoroughly. The only thing that was missing was someone to share it with. That empty feeling stayed with me even though I was happy to be enjoying these experiences.
I returned to Zihuatanejo the first week of November, 2010 and spent the first two months getting reacquainted with the town I love so much but still alone in spite of all the new friends I had made. Then, on the first week of January, on one of my walks through the city, I stumbled on a little juice bar that had only been open for two weeks and met the woman who has become the love of my life. Ivone is a wonderful, beautiful, intelligent and very poetic woman whose friendship has proven to be the exactly what I have been missing. She was born in Zihuatanejo and when she was very young the family lived right where I first felt the magic of Zihuatanejo, and I mean "exactly" the same spot.
We have spent the last three months getting to know one another and finding that we share the same values, the same appreciation for the arts and so much more.
I have had to return to the States in order to take care of my personal affairs but my heart is in Zihuatanejo with Ivone and I plan to return as soon as I am able. I am a happy person by nature but my joy is now complete. I have waited to post this until I had the opportunity to tell family and friends in person. Some I have missed and to those I apologize. But now, I want the world to know of my joy. I want the world to celebrate with me in love and happiness. I introduce you to my love, my light and my future; Ivone

1 comment:

LT Travel Inc. said...

Jim,
You held out for the real thing and found your true love in z...where you had left your heart. You deserve it! And what a beautiful lady!