“It struck me how the human capacity for receptivity is a kind of birthright, an asset given to us in the moment of our creation by which we are intended to regulate the currency of our souls. Unless we give back to life as much as we take from it, this faculty will fail us sooner or later.”
― Rachel Cusk

I met my goal of waking earlier to get to the beach for my morning walk. It’s light at about 5:45 a.m., and I got there around 6:00 a.m. Did not beat the surfers. A very happy walk in the already bright sunshine after a challenging night’s sleep. I have an ear infection, probably caused by all my recent swimming and it kept me awake a good portion of the night. But the most fun thing happened, in that Western medicine met Eastern medicine in our casa today. First, Frank brought our friend home from tennis with him to make a house call (one of our friends who is staying in our group is a doc.) They brought me ear drops and Sudafed and we're considering an antibiotic. In the early afternoon, our other friend came over who is an acupuncturist. He asked if I wanted a treatment. Yes, please. So, Frank put on the spa music and I got my treatment and Frank got a treatment for a problem with his foot, and my other friend got a treatment for something. . . sweetness, all of us lying down in the big room overlooking our deck and pool getting the wonderful Eastern medicine for our woes! I am not sure what all it will take to resolve my pain, but, I am well cared for by concerned friends and I trust the healing will happen soon. We all went to the beach in the late afternoon before sunset, set up our chairs, swam, watched the surfers, and then the sun sinking over the horizon and splashing the sky orange. Another arrival to our group is exptected tonight, and I go to sleep grateful for friendship and sunshine and travel and the beauty of this amazing landscape.