The Layers of Legacy

How many of you have played ‘buzzword bingo’ in the boardroom?

You know the game, the one made up of every latest word and phrase better suited to the corporate collection of car bumper stickers.

In the last decade words such as ‘authenticity’ and ‘authentic self’ have been right up there near the top, along with ‘change maker’ – the positive spin on the word ‘activist’.

Then we have the classics of ‘blue sky thinking’, with ‘thinking out of the box’ and the ever so risqué ‘smashing those glass ceilings’.

‘Cash is king’ was another good one for a while, and today the ‘king’ being spoken about in ‘all the right places’ is the word ‘legacy’.

Now, as an author and an author coach of transformational books in the realm of human rights, social justice, cultural diversity and community cohesion, legacy is something I know about very well.

Legacy is no longer related to the trust funds, ISAs, stocks and bonds and all things related to money.

Oh no!

These days it goes much deeper and is related to the impact we are having on the planet, because as one of the latest trend setting phrases goes “there is no planet B”.

Why it has taken us all a while to realise this is beyond me, but hey, some of us have been awake and aware for so long, we forget that many people on the planet are now only just waking up to the obvious facts that if we do not take care of our own health, and the health of the planet, we are pretty much heading to the ‘knackers yard’.

Recently I discovered a place in Costa Rica called Dolphin Quest where owners Reymar and Jahza Klochko-Khoo are head and shoulders above many of us when it comes to understanding the eco-systems and circles of life.

Having grown up in and on the edge of the jungle with the beautiful bay of Golfo Dulce as their playground, in the southern part of the Punta Arenas Province of Costa Rica, these two brothers have watched the legacy of their father’s dream unfold all around them.

Having a dad who chose to buy a piece of land he hadn’t seen some thirty plus years ago, before heading down through central America with some fellow hippies in a bus during the Contra War in Nicaragua, they were born into this environment – quite literally in Reymar’s case as he was born in the ocean.

Whilst this may sound like a crazy plan for most people, ‘Raymundo’ as he was known locally, knew he had to follow his heart, knew he wanted the outdoor life for his family, and knew he wanted out of the circus most people call normal life.

And who can blame him?

Aren’t we all sick and fed up of the media circus, the rat race and the fast pace of the manipulated lifestyle we have been told we must live, especially if we are to be seen and deemed as successful.

Living the natural life of spear fishing, growing your own food, living off grid and swimming in the ocean every day are the dreams of many.

When the folks at Nat Geo declared the Gulfo Dulce “the planet’s most biologically intense place” it seems the dream Raymundo had for his family has turned into a greater legacy than even he could have imagined.

Having neighbours such as spider monkeys, big cats and snakes – and goodness what else lives in deeper in the heart of the jungle – you have a great movie backdrop, especially with the beautiful sunsets and an endless stream of dolphins swimming in the bay, joined by whales in August on their way South.

This dream is a reality though, and one which has seen the Khlochko-Khoo family be part of a much bigger initiative than simply creating a unique and unconventional family home and lifestyle.

Raymundo was a key player in re-educating the local hunters who were killing off the local wildlife including the big cats, reptiles and birds in the region. Choosing to help the hunters understand sustainability and the preservation of life, rather than killing for profit, has proven to be a very successful strategy.

Not only has the jungle rainforest reclaimed the land, but bird and animal populations are on the increase and the coral reefs are growing back in the ocean which kisses the beaches around the gulf of Golfito. 

Now obviously Raymundo didn’t do all this himself, he of course had help from GreenPeace, Minae other local co-operatives and community activists – and his young sons were eager to learn, get their hands dirty in the jungle, whilst catching their own dinner from the ocean with a spear.

Growing up watching their father, learning from the locals and living the jungle and ocean life, Reymar and Jahza have a wealth of knowledge most conservationists long for, and strive for by studying text books and having the occasional sabbatical living in ‘the wilds’.

The legacy of knowledge and wisdom these young men now have is priceless, a gift of a beautiful legacy most parents can only dream of giving their children, especially those who see the bigger picture unfolding beyond the fog of rhetoric provided by the mainstream media.

This special location which has provided Reymar and Jahza an incredible childhood has been chosen by both of them since their father passed away in 2020, and now they are making it their own with a new vision for the future passing on their knowledge to the many guests who pass through their home.

They could have sold the 700 acre family home and lodgings for the money but they chose to create the next layer of legacy, one which is providing travellers, environmentalists, students, home schoolers and those looking for a different kind of get-away with a truly unique experience.

And don’t expect to find one of those five star hotel ‘eco-lodges’ when you arrive, the ones which have been implanted on the edge of a jungle and keeps you in your comfort zone.

This family home, one which is constantly evolving as the environment itself evolves, is one of both blood family and chosen family, with guests being so impressed with the magical energy and future vision, that ‘the family’ has now grown substantially around the world.

With each new guest, a new layer of the legacy is created due to knowledge and skills shared, with many of the guests staying longer than anticipated adding their own unique flavour, layering the legacy like a well-made Michelin starred dinner experience.

There is a way to go for the young men to achieve their next level of the legacy, with repairs being done to the property and investments being made into the new business model, but with the busiest season they have had so far since the birth of Dolphin Quest having just happened this year, things are looking very positive for them.

Whether it is simply being in nature, free-diving, hiking through the jungle, or taking advantage of the natural healing with the ‘farm to table’ food and plant medicines available, or as in my case to write a, there is something for everyone who wants the ‘pura vida’ lifestyle which Costa Rica has become known for.

Guests learn so much about themselves by the mere fact that they live within nature, with nature.

Learning to navigate the walk back to the lodge in the darkness of the jungle, with the essential flash light to prevent being bitten by one of the deadly snakes which roam free, really does take courage and an awareness of our surroundings to a whole new level.

Add into this mix the health and healing benefits of eating the fresh organic food grown on the property or food grown and caught locally from the land or sea, topped off with the non-stop vibration of the jungle sounds and you begin to see how far a legacy created by a hippie with a dream can actually go.

Whilst many wealthy, well to do parents dream of Harvard and Oxford degrees for their children, followed by jobs in the most prestigious of places or leading million dollar businesses, choosing an unconventional life, living our dreams, following our hearts, gives our children an even greater legacy than any piece of paper or amount of money will ever give them.

My lifestyle has triggered many women, and men, around the world because how on earth can I go off travelling the world, writing books, sailing oceans and building a business and not be in the family home taking care of my two teenage sons?

The simple answer is this, because I choose to lead my sons in a way that makes sense to me.

The legacy I am creating for the world manifests in the books I write and help my clients to write, the awareness of the world at large my children get to see with and through me, and by showing those I meet along the way that anything is possible.

My books bring awareness to what is going on in the world, and introducing my sons to various different cultures, ideas and showing them that women are not ‘just’ mothers or people who should sacrifice their own dreams and legacies for anything or anyone else.

A stay in the jungle with insects, monkeys, scorpions in the shower and snakes has made my sons incredibly proud of me and taught them about the kind of woman their mother is – as well as showing them many things about themselves.

This awareness and strong connection we now have between the three of us would never have happened if we had continued to live life the way others expected us to.

This is legacy.

Choosing yourself, your own unique vision and following your dream instead of following the ‘roadmap to success’ pushed by the mainstream narrative, helps your legacy come alive in more ways than you could ever dream possible.

Stepping out of the mainstream, honouring the call of the wild of your own soul, whilst inviting new people into your life adds levels of richness, diversity and perspectives which will expand your vision in ways unimaginable.

If we wish to learn more about ourselves, and how we can become part of a much bigger legacy humanity can create together, then booking some time in the jungle and allowing nature to show us how to heal (and overcome our fears of creepy crawlies!) is just one way to do it.

However you choose to live life and create a legacy for your children and future generations, just make sure you follow your dream – rather than one that has been imposed upon you by society.

If you would like to discover more about writing your legacy, then make sure you book a call with me.

Ciao for now from the jungle!