July 20, 2011 The Energy of The Day. Elena's Thoughts...

I seem to wake at 5 am each morning and watch my family sleep peacefully. I'm not sure if I awake because I'm off schedule or if it's due to the excitement of being on the other side of the world. Either way, it's a time that I find I can be in the moment with no distractions to reflect.

We have experienced such amazing people, sights, smells and situations (one has to pinch themself occasionally to verify reality); it's truly overwhelming! I walk the streets and can't seem to turn my head fast enough to catch the quickly paced images that pass by: the tuk tuks, the taxis, the food carts, the families constructing and deconstructing their daily business shanties.

You see each day from sunrise until midnight, families create their livelihoods; whether it is selling food, clothing, or services, it is done with care and precision. Their heart and soul is placed in their efforts to make a few Thai Baht each day. There is such life in the streets. The energy is inexplicable. The cars, motorcycles, buses, taxis, and tuk tuks pack the narrow streets and flow together like a fine-crafted watch. The time never stops, and there is no beat missed; to view this as an outsider, I'm in awe.

Josh leads our family like the father duck and and Zach and Zoe follow single file as I bring up the end of the line. We have to walk in a line to fit on the narrow sidewalk that is taken up with raw meat waiting to cooked, shanties of clothing, books, DVDs and jewelry waiting to be sold for pennies. If it rains, as it does occasionally, that stops nothing in the ticking of the clock for each vendor has awnings to cover you from the elements so the can continue to earn the meager wage necessary to feed their family.

A woman with few teeth and little hair sits on an overturned bucket as I pass her at 9 am selling What appear to be miniature live blue crabs which she happily places in a plastic bag for you to take home and prepare. As I pass by again at 7 pm, she is still there with very few left to sell, yet she is determined to stay until they're gone; without complaining, without moving all day, without question...this is her job...this is her place in the energy of the day.