What Do You Need..

My brother from the Netherlands calls. “Everyone is cold and sick here,” he says. His voice sounds like he has run a marathon in a sandstorm. It reminds me of the time when we still lived in the Netherlands.

Every autumn, as reliable as clockwork, suffering from severe sinusitis. It was like a subscription. And no wonder, with 150 days of rain a year; a constant threat of a grey, dripping sky.

In January, we’d escape to Bali to get away from the long, grey Dutch months. A flight, yes, that’s what it was. A temporary escape from the reality of runny noses, dreary skies, and the endless rustle of raincoats.

But here, in the Algarve, it’s a different story. We are never sick. Our life feels like a permanent vacation, even though we both work more than full-time.

Every day is a new gift of sun, sea, friends, good food, and wine. A simple life, but richer than ever.

My brother coughs. “You’ve got it all figured out there,” he says. “What more does a person need?” I smile and look outside, where the sun turns the sea into gold. Exactly, what more does a person need?