I woke up to the sound of waves and birds in Indonesia today. I laid in bed, listening, unclear if I heard a radio, or traffic, or people talking. But it was the birds. Dawn was coming. My period was coming. I felt the cramping in my uterus, working to push the blood and tissue out. I rolled over and sat up. I got my bearings in my beach front bungalow. The blackout curtains kept the small room dark but for a faint light under the crack in the front door. I am bleeding. I can feel it. I got up and stepped out the back door to the open air bathroom to clean myself up. It wasn't too bad. Just a spot on my bright blue underwear where the blood dripped down the curve of my body. I returned to my sleeping hovel and drew back the curtain to let the morning light in. I crawled back into bed.
I woke up to the sound of waves in Indonesia today. I laid in bed, listening. The birds have gone. The sun has arrived. I sit up in bed and look out my window. I see a green tree, a wood shade hut, a bench, and the ocean. I woke up in paradise today.
