Spain and the art of living

Hola!  Que tal? 

Well I have arrived in Madrid, Spain for my first visit to the country.  So far, in the one hour of arriving I have already decided I am coming back!  The people are beautiful, friendly, classy, and of course well cultured.   The moments I have cherished here in my short while are the people gathering for conversation, food and wine, sitting in the parks, all for the sake of togetherness.  I find we lack this importance in the states.  We don’t have the sense to slow down, no value to it, and definitely do not have time for it.  The quality of our relationships, in my opinion, are rated at about a 2/3 star, where in Spain 5 star.  So that means we are putting many other activities, thoughts, use of time towards other things, and may I quote “things” because we are trying to “get somewhere” faster, compete for something “better”, or frankly have lost the art of conversation and communicating.  I haven’t seen people on their phones, especially at restaurants, in groups, etc.  I see people smiling, laughing, talking, and even kissing.  It is so refreshing to experience especially when living a more mindful, conscious lifestyle. 

Maybe this art for cultural communication is so deeply ingrained in them due to the depth of their age as a country.  The value of family and relationships is top priority.  My friend and I have had this continuous conversation here and our concern is, will we ever go back to family values of eating together at the table? Leaving the workplace sooner rather than later and later? Engage with one another with intimate, undivided attention?  My fear is, I think it is going to get worse before it even gets better. 

Just for today, look directly into everyone’s eyes you see and converse with today.  Take just a moment longer to listen without feedback.  Stop to notice the beauty around you whether it is a fading cloud or joy upon a child’s face.  Can you practice being present and truly enjoy the company of yourself and others without distraction or attention deficit?

This is why I travel out of the US, to explore the boundaries of the ordinary and evolve my awareness and quality of life.  Let us keep sharing life together and see what happens.