Find your bliss, live your dream

Heaven is what happens when dreams come true.

I know I drone on about it, but I mentioned in previous columns that I have a second home on the ocean about eight miles south of San Blas that cost me one-twentieth of what it would cost in the U.S. I am a five-minute drive to a surf break called Las Islitas at Mantanchen Bay. Until recently it held the record for the longest surf ride in the “Guinness Book of World Records.”

I’ve mentioned that it doesn’t break very often but is a magnet for families on the weekends. During the week it is a ghost town. It is an all-sand-bottom cove and the water is shallow, especially at low tide so families just walk out and stand in the water for hours. Right now the water temperature is 80 degrees, which is just a nice hair under the air temperature.

The last three days I’ve had the bay all to myself. I wish I could submit a couple pictures my girlfriend took of me surfing. In one there is a perfect wave unridden in front of the perfect wave I was surfing and behind me was another perfect wave with no one on it and beyond it was a feathering outside wave ready to do the same thing. I figured my very first ride in the bay was at least one kilometer long. I could have gone further but let’s just say my arms got a great workout paddling back to the lineup and yet never having to punch through white water.

I dreamed as a kid of doing exactly what I have done the last three days but my return to Encinitas is soon so I’m going to continue to make the most of it while here but upon return I’ll be dusting off my golf clubs. Surfing in North County means crowds, wetsuits and cold water — and most times, gray foggy skies. I have a penchant for avoiding negative environments by playing golf instead and dreaming of 84-degree temperatures, 80-degree water and blue skies. It never ever gets foggy on this part of the mainland of Mexico.

For me, something that I once thought to be unattainable has been attained. I live in a house that’s paid for right on the ocean. My water bill is $55 a year, electricity about $40 a month, property taxes about $20 a month and cable/WiFi/phone about $50 a month. I’m minutes from whatever I want including fish tacos that could put Rubio’s to shame for 12 pesos (about 85 cents), delicious fruit at unheard of prices along with vegetables and I’ve never had better tasting beef in my life. I live very nicely on a simple SS income.

The Mexican people remind me of the story of the old man who retired on a Pacific Island. He was born and raised on a neighboring island. As a boy he dreamed of being a success and escaping the island. He eventually left and scored big in the world but it came with a price; broken relationships, the hard life, bankruptcy then success but worry, stress and darkness. He was able to leave all that behind. Unfortunately it came when he was too old to really enjoy it but at last he did feel peace and happiness.

I watch as the Mexican people yearn like this old man for the United States when they have all the opportunity and resources right here that would clearly rival the same of the United States many moons ago. I recently thought of an idea that Congress should consider.

By my calculus, supposedly we have roughly 10 million active illegal immigrants in the United States who are working under the table. They do not provide taxes to the government and yet cost the government for services such as education, healthcare, food stamps, etc. They also live in fear.

I’m a natural born American citizen.  I moved to Mexico part time not knowing the language or a soul.

But, one thing I’ve learned from living and learning about Mexican life and its people is that every — and I mean every — family in Mexico has at least one relative living in the United States, legally or illegally. And, Mexican families are large and close-knit, many times with large numbers living together under one roof.

Why can’t Congress come up with this solution: If someone is living here illegally, even if you are a “dreamer,” then go home for two years. Mexico could use all of your experience, wisdom and knowledge from living in the United States. If they leave voluntarily for two years, living with family members who they have not been able to visit for fear of not being able to return to the United States, and prove that they have left our country and can prove a two year residency in their home country, then they are automatically eligible to receive a legal green card to return to the United States but go to the back of the line to wait for legal residency.

Mexico has so much opportunity that I think less than half of those dreamers and non-dreamers would return to the United States permanently. They still might come and go but their elevated status in Mexico would land them plum jobs and with their backgrounds, wisdom and experience I would suspect that they would enhance the economic growth and progress of the Mexican economy.

So much for dreaming about what our leaders might do but … I’ve got some heavenly living to do. Come on Boomers, heaven doesn’t only come after passing. Heaven is right here on earth too. Live              your dreams.