BeyondALS: Snorkeling in Las Catalinas, Costa Rica
Stanford GSB in Las Catalinas, Costa Rica
I went snorkeling in Costa Rica last week. An event not covered by media, even the plethora of cameras our group used to document an amazing week in Central America. Over a dozen of us from the Stanford Graduate School of Business class of 1987 and a few spouses, including Ben Trust, met in Las Catalinas – a car-free, care-free town being developed by dear friend Charles Brewer.
We were invited down to enjoy each other’s company and to celebrate life. Friends came from far and wide, as far away as England. There were hikes into the hills above the clear, blue water, a zip-line outing, mountain biking, surfing, great food, and evening sing-alongs. There was much open sharing of our lives’ ups and downs: victories and tragedies. There was much laughter and many tears…high-fives and hugs. There was loving, supportive friendship. There was life.
¡Pura Vida!
During the last night’s dinner, we shared what we would most remember from our time together: Some great memories. And so, you see, I went snorkeling in Costa Rica. This may sound boastful, self-congratulatory. Considering I doubted I would be able to do this again, I mean it as a celebration.
I could not have done it without Charles putting the leash from a bogie board on his own ankle and pulling me around, as my legs can no longer propel me very well. I could not have done it without him and Bruce Ryan carrying me out of the water and a whole platoon of people, including a couple of Ticos we did not know, getting the wheel chair back up through the sand. I could not have done it at all without Ben getting me down to Costa Rica in the first place. I may not have done it, but I did. I went snorkeling in Costa Rica. I am a lucky man.