Pure Life. Enjoy every moment. Never take a day for granted. However you utilize this Costa Rican mantra, it’s important to understand it for yourself. What does it mean or you? For the greater part of 6 decades, it’s rumored that Pura Vida comes from a 1956 Mexican film titled, just that, Pura Vida. Since then the people of this beautiful country have adopted it in their daily vernacular. Used as both a greeting and a farewell, Pura Vida is more than just two words strung together. Imagine for a moment our western words for greeting/farewell…Hello/goodbye. Now imagine how those words feel, what are their intentions? For me, I never gave much thought to what words came our of my mouth when greeting a friend, a stranger, an authority figure. This however, is your first encounter. It’s also the last thing we leave someone with before seeing them for an indeterminate amount of time. So why not greet and part ways in the most beautiful way possible? Why not focus on the words that fill the ears of those we intend on sending nothing but love to? Pura Vida does this, Hello/Goodbye, less so. And why not follow up your greeting or departure with one extra step of love? “How are you?” or “Have a beautiful day.” You see interactions strengthen with connectivity, and connectivity comes from true desire to wish powerful loving thoughts on others. Today make an attempt to ask someone how they are doing? And see their eyes light up.
The beauty of language is that it holds no boundaries. We are all able to access the same words, dictionaries, spell checks, etc…but it is how we intend to construct them that matters. Words are the vehicles in which we use to drive thoughts & heart into motion. Words allow us to bring thoughts to life from where action is born, change is felt, love is fostered. Words represent your internal construct, your foundation, your moral compass. Pura Vida are two words simply put together that represent and entire way of life for Costa Rica. What are your words? What words will you choose today to represent you?