Pura Vida: the Simple Life and so Much More

I spent the last days of my winter break from school soaking up the warm vibes of Costa Rica. Pura Vida, a saying often used throughout the country, translates to "simple life" or "pure life," but a mere translation doesn't do the phrase justice. Pura Vida is a way of life. Like the word love—no matter how many great poets and visionaries have tried to describe it in their great works—Pura Vida must be felt. Here are some simple moments from my time on this rich coast that allowed me to experience the essence of these words in hopes that it may help you embrace Pura Vida in your own life.

“In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.”

— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

You catch glimpses of it on long, slow days swimming in the warm sea while thunderstorms brew on the horizon. 

You feel it waking up slowly to the symphony of jungle sounds.

You experience it in the kindness of someone's eyes when they smile or witnessing the easy, no-stress lifestyle.

You see it in the stillness of dusk and that moment just before the sun escapes the horizon. (photo: Travis Courtney)

You hear it when you match your breath to the sound of the waves.

How do you experience Pura Vida in your life?