I have always liked patios. The four houses that surrounded mine had large patios that overlapped, forming a giant soccer field. At least, that’s how I remember it.
Bitter orange, lemon, sweet-apple and Spanish lime trees filled the patios of my childhood…
When I stop to think about it, a patio is a reflection of its owner’s personality; a psychologist could create a complete profile of someone based on an analysis of his or her patio. Mine, for example, is a reflection of my love for nature; it is full of tall royal, coconut and areca palm trees. I don’t have any fruit trees, but green dominates the landscape, making the bright colors of its ever-present ornamental plants and flowers more fluid.
My patio gives me peace. It is my temple for meditation and reflection, the place where I feel connected and in harmony with my surroundings. My patio is also a sanctuary for different species of birds, insects large and small, mollusks that cling to the walls, ants, lizards, butterflies, bees and crickets.
Sometimes when I get home exhausted from working and hearing or reading sad news about accidents, crimes, hurricanes, invasions, wars, abuse of the environment, incompetent governments, sexual abuse and every other mundane thing committed and documented by human beings, I seek refuge in my patio….
It is another world, completely inhabited by living beings. In my patio, there is no religion, manipulation, leaders, administrators, governments or rulers; in my patio everything flows. Everything is naturally organized in a common effort, everything is moderate; there are no excesses, and nothing is restricted: everything is feasible, possible and infinite. In my patio neither days nor hours exist; time goes by only when you discover its demands.
In late December of 2012, I spent days of meditation and reflection in my patio; I concentrated all of my energy and desire on the good health, well-being, happiness and prosperity of my family and friends as the New Year approached. Now I am doing that again as I write this note, and I’m including all of our readers. May January bring the start of many good things for everybody; may the magic powers of nature bewitch us and strip away any bitter feelings; may the peace, tranquility and innocence that radiates from my patio be seen on the other side of the fence.
Authors
Hugo Cancio, 
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