Today has been another beautiful and joyful day, filled with good thoughts and a deeper connection to myself and the planet. I feel answers coming and new questions being raised.
I woke up at 6:30 and took my time getting started for the day, sipping coffee and responding to messages and just being. At 9 I set out for the coastal hike that heads south out of town, stopping to buy an anklet and a necklace from a man named Ernesto as I left town. I was in some ways following the hike I thought [17] had done, but he’s honestly been quite far from my mind since I got here. Others had told me about the trail, and it seemed right to follow it regardless. And honestly now that I’ve done it, I’m not even sure it was the same.
Anyway.
I hiked about 6 miles of coastline, past perfect beaches, macaws, giant lizards… all before arriving at Playa San Juanita and letting the sea wash over me. I’d met a woman along the way who told me Rodrigo at Life For Life (where Farhad had suggested) could arrange an ATV back to Drake Bay, if I didn’t want to hike back. At first I wasn’t sure, but after getting here and sitting for a little while, it felt right to linger, not to rush back. Mostly to take this ATV tonight.
I’ve been thinking a lot about where I’m heading and where I’ve been, as well as certain people who’ve continued to appear in my thoughts. The people who’ve been integral along my path. Brian continues to come to mind. Tim. Leah.
21:22 Martina’s Place.
At 2:30 Tuesday morning, I woke up to go to the bathroom. On the way back to my room, a giant toad jumped onto the path in front of me. I had to walk past it and I thought to myself “well, that’s officially the first thing to happen to me in my 30s. I wonder what the symbolism is.” But as the day moved on I didn’t think too much about it.
Walking back from the sunset last night, one jumped across Andreas path and startled him, and I told him about Cici and how she always knew what symbols meant and how I’d have to look up toads at some point, still not thinking too much of it.
But when we eventually started up the road into town, a giant toad literally hopped into my left achilles tendon. Like head-butting my foot / leg. It really startled me, but when I realized what it was it seemed odd in a way that can’t just be coincidence anymore.
There was another in the hostel kitchen last night, trying to get out a closed door next to me while I made spaghetti. As I ate, a girl walked into the kitchen and panicked at the sight of him, so after she left I helped shoo him outside.
Then today on my hike I came across a white tree frog, sitting on a leaf in the path. I don’t know if it was sick, but it was definitely alive. I moved it farther off the trail for safety.
And finally tonight I was sitting at a table in the common area and finally googled “symbolism of toads”, but while I waited for the page to load I decided to go to the bathroom. Literally as I walked up, another huge toad jumped in front of me and hopped straight into the bathroom i was heading to.
Now that I’m reading up a bit, it seems like they symbolize major shifts. The transition from water to land. Leaving an old life behind. They also urge discretion, camouflage. Moving for oneself without telling many people what’s happening.
it’s just interesting. maybe it means something. maybe it doesn’t. but right now it feels like it very much does.