I was reading in the hammock at my jungle lodge when a young yellow lab wandered into my palapa. She plunked down next to me. Her wag and expression read, "Yay! I'm home!" She knew she's arrived at the perfect spot for her San Pancho vacation.
I'd never met this dog before. She was determined to change that and happily decided that she would be my new shadow. As she followed me everywhere friends informed me that I had no choice, this dog found me and that was that. Though her origins were a mystery, she arrived wearing a dirty old pink collar with the word "Paris" scribbled in black marker. At 29, I became a dog mom and my adventures with Paris the pup began.
Our friendship grew into a deep bond and love that would last over a decade. Paris and I were in-separable explorers and I was grateful for a friend who loved running, hiking and swimming as much as I do! We enjoyed countless adventures together as she journeyed with me from the jungle to the mountains where I found my husband. She stayed by my side offering silent support through two pregnancies, births and sleepless nights with babies. She devotedly cleaned the floor after every sticky sweet mess and spill...
Last year I said goodbye to my dear friend. It's taken many months for me to sit down and write about Paris without a waterfall of tears. For those of you who've had a loyal dog amigo, I know you know. It's just indescribable pain yet worth it for the tremendous love and life moments shared with a furry friend.
Thank you, Paris the pup for being you. Shortly after your passing, we renovated the original Bungalow Chiche to become the Palapa Paris . You're beautiful energy will continue on in jungle for many adventurous travelers, families and couples to enjoy.
As I reflect on my time with Paris, I also stumbled upon this article that I wrote many years ago...
"Squatting in the Woods" (originally published August, 2018)
I recently went on a kayak/canoe camping trip on Lake George in the New York Adirondacks. We watched the sunset, the moonrise and sat by the fire grilling local goodies. T’was a blissful night indeed and I fell asleep with my heart full, alive and inspired. At dawn, nature called and I wandered into the woods away from my sleeping amigos.
I dug a hole and began to undo my pants. Suddenly I heard some twigs snap in the bushes behind me. I looked over in alarm and found that one of my amigos had followed me…my yellow lab, Paris! She wagged her tail, grinning happily. She then proceeded to squat next to me and do her morning duty. I rose my eyebrows and thought “why not?”
As we squatted in the woods together I felt an odd kind of comfort. I’d squatted in a variety of place, but pooping alongside my pooch was a first for me.
Paris seemed to be noticing the novelty of the moment as well. Her eyes seemed to be saying, “Finally!” In all of our morning walks in the woods I’d watched her squat a thousand times and never joined. “Doesn’t it feel great to squat and let go?” she seemed to ask. “Isn’t life great?”
“Yup.” I giggled as I watched her instinctively covered her trace with leaves. Paris sure knows how to live life. This was a whole new twist on my yoga teacher’s mantra: let that shit go.
Apologies for any grossness factor here, bear with me, the bigger point that I’m trying to make was that the inspiration of the evening followed by this profoundly simple yet beautifully uninhibited moment with my pup triggered a clarity within me; an ah-ha moment.
Since that trip, I’ve felt a whole-hearted desire to embrace the natural flow and tune into what makes me come alive. What exactly does this mean? Don’t worry, I don’t plan on making a habit of pooping the in the woods with my amigos, but it does mean continuing to live unconventionally, adventurously, to blaze my own trail through life and business—to be wild AND to be an entrepreneur. To be a “wildpreneur.”
It’s taken me a while to come up with this term, something had been holding me back…
Was I waiting for approval? Afraid of putting a new idea out there and being rejected? Fear of not being perfect? Whatever it was, I’m totally over it! Now that I’ve finally embraced this concept, I’m stoked!! Goodbye 9 – 5, hello flip flops and freedom! Clearly, being an entrepreneur no longer means wearing a business suit to an office. We get to blaze our own trails, design our lives without holding back any of the wildness.
What do you think? Do you have a wild business idea that is simmering inside you? Are you holding back? Are you doing what makes you come alive?
Just as many of us don’t chat openly about morning toilet duties, many of us also keep our wild ideas to ourselves. Even those who’ve already embarked on a journey as a wildpreneur may still be holding back. I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to be unconventional, blazing your own trail and being true to yourself is fantastic!!
Let’s do it! It’s as simple as squatting in the woods and I’m here to be your guide. I’m currently working hard on wildpreneurs.com and I’m eager to be a bizarrely simple, beautifully uninhibited and wonderfully supportive resource for you. Wherever you’re at in your journey—whether your wild idea is still percolating or you’ve been pursuing free-spirited business for decades—you’ve got amigos here.
The Tailwind Jungle Lodge is an perfect spot for San Pancho vacations. Ideal for families, couples and retreats (yoga, wellness, fitness, etc.) looking for a natural adventure. This is a unique ecolodge was one of the first eco-hotels that opened in San Pancho (founded in 2007) offering jungle and ocean experiences.
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