Tags
Character Traitis, jama ecuador, Less is More, Siimple Country Life, TheIslandTraveler children, ThisMansJourney Children
The Gift of Curiosity
JAMA ECUADOR – December 2012
When I first sank my roots into this farming community, I was one of few transplants. The locals warmly accepted their pale-skinned ‘Gringa Alta,’ and the children learned to quickly spot the strange-talking outsider when she came to town. Parents sat in the shadows and nudged the ninos to greet the Gringita. Those children (and their families) have enriched my life.
Many have a basic and simple life that bestows them with rich virtues, although they aren’t often exposed to advanced technologies. When I compare their simple lives with those in the more-cultured world, I question if one can give a child too much. Material possessions are oftentimes a curse; we stay so focused on the newest gadget that we lose sight of the simple and free gifts at our fingertips.
The Gift Of Trust
ThisMansJourney’s sensitive post about children and their gifts will warm any Scrooge’s heart! Most of the children of rural Ecuador will not be hoping for the latest high-tech gadget this Christmas; families focus on simple gatherings and modest gifts. These children are blessed with the gift of a simple life. Take a walk with me through the area and witness the gifts that enrich their simple lives.
The Gift Of Acceptance – This lovely young gal also has the gift of grace; she spots me from afar and dashes to the corner and warmly greets me!
The Gifts of Curiosity & Confidence – The neighbors are timid!
The Gift Of Unconditional Love
The Gift Of Responsibility
The Gift Of Uninhibited Joy
The Gift Of Pleasing Others (What Would You Do If We Sang Out Of Key? -Montecristi)
The Gift Of Dreams
The Gift Of Mentors
The Gift Of Responsibility II
The Gift Of Belonging
The Gift of Comfort (She was pouting!)
The Gift Of Acceptance (They allowed me into their quiet corner of the world!)
The Gift of Giving (He serenaded me!)
The Gift Of Memories (After a 2-year absence, I was greeted with this smile! – Dier has a severe neurological affliction.)
The Gifts Of Hope & Dreams (Oh! To do one’s best for the honor of the challenge!)
The Gift Of Lazy Unhurried Days
The Gift Of Innocence
The Gift oFSecurtity
The Gift Of The Outdoors
The Gift Of The Simple
The Gift Of Lazy Unhurried Days
The Gift Of Security (The streets are quiet.)
The Gift Of Happiness (He’s practicing the ‘Manana” virtue!)
The Gift Of Contentment – (May he never suffer from materialism!)
These children may never witness the frenzy of a typical Christmas morning in a more advanced society; they will, however, cherish the significance of the day and its modest gifts.
The best present is Life’s gift of character.
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
May your year be filled with many more precious gifts of this kind – a lovely post that embodies the true meaning of the holiday !
thank you! it’s easy to have a sense of peace when living a deeply-immersed life in this less-is-more culture! happy new year to you and your loved ones@
You’ve captured the very essence of the Christmas spirit Lisa. Delightful photos. Best wishes to you and all your lovely neighbours for 2014, and may the internet connection improve….
thank you, amiga! i’m lucky to have so many people who befriended me, which makes it so easy to wean away from the modern conveniences and be happy with much less. i draw the line on internet connectioms, however, and i hope that we’ll get a faster service soon!
Fingers crossed for that internet connection, it will not only make it easier for you but we will benefit from the posts you send down the line. May your wishes come true in 2014… 🙂
Lisa, you did a beautiful job with this – I love the idea of naming the gift and illustrating it with the photo. Your message is loud and clear! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
thank you so much! there are so many positive ways to view the ‘less is more’ life here. through a child’s eyes, it’s very easy to remember that we don’t need a lot of material wealth to be happy! but you knew that already, didn’t you?!
I love your photos and thanks for sharing. I reposted to my facebook so people can see that Christmas is not about material things to all. Merry Christmas and Wishing you and your a very blessed and Happy New Year. We are now in San Clemente and are love it here.
i checked my stats while waiting between bus stops, and i just checked again before answering your comment; you have a lot of clout with your facebook friends, as 98 people jumped from facebook to that post! thank you so much, and i hope that the post helps your friends and family understand a bit more why ecuador is so special to many of us@ thanks again, and welcome to manabi!!!
Beautiful! My whole life I’ve wanted to live in South America, simply and contentedly. Maybe some day…
i hope that your dream becomes a reality – sooner than later. good luck finding a way to make that happen, but until then, i’m glad that these posts help bridge the distance! z
These are the lucky children of the world. Their gifts are lasting ones, gifts that need no batteries, gifts that will stay with them for a lifetime,not just until the next newfangled gadget lures their attention.
they’re so sweet and seem to see their world through a sense of awe! when i’m traveling, the children i see often look at me (light skin y blue/green eyes) and it’s as if they’re seeing an alien! i smile at them, and their return smiles outshine the sun. oh, many don’t realize how powerful a smile can be!
Its funny you mention smiles. I have noticed that strangers smile at me all the time these days. I don’t know if it is because retirement has brought utter joy bubbling to the surface of me or if it is because I have shrubs growing out of my teeth!
how funny!
they see your kind and gentle soul and feel safe and comforted!
What an absolutely beautiful post Lisa! Indeed, these children have the gift of happiness. I often worry a lot about raising my kids in today’s capitalist world where they have so much. Yet I hope I can teach them to give back someday too and make the world a better place!
A heartwarming post … this is what Christmas should be about for all for all of us. Our values has gone a bit wrong. Thanks for this post.