Life Unraveled

I just returned home from watching another Hawaiian sunset.  How was it, you ask?  It was beautiful, as always.  Stunning even.  But it was completely different than the one yesterday.  And the day before that, and the day before that....and so on.  The setting sun provides a sparkling example of the law of nature which promises that everything arises, then passes away.  Change, change, change.   Count on it.  Don't try to relive what you saw yesterday.  Just enjoy what today's picture has to offer.  Earlier this afternoon, I was listening to my ipod and an old song came on by Duran Duran.  I started to remember how the very first 45'' single I ever bought was their song called "The Reflex".  Man, I used to love that song.  When I hear that song now, well....eh.  It's OK.  The Duran Duran song that came on today was "New Moon on Monday".  I can remember not liking that song wh...

I can't speak.  Literally.   Congestion has rendered me mute.  Cue the mental applause, friends and loved ones.  I know it is probably a nice break for all of us.  It has been a fascinating afternoon with no voice.  I have run errands, and been forced to just smile instead of delivering my normally courteous "thank you" or "excuse me" wherever necessary.  No matter where I have gone, a hideous, nearly inaudible croaking sound would escape from my mouth whenever I attempted to speak.  Uh-oh.  Time to whisper instead.  And no matter who was the recipient of my feeble attempt at commuication, all of my efforts were met with a softness.  Almost as if they were grateful that I was even trying.  Besides, how much grumbling and complaining had the grocery store clerk already heard today before I got in line?  At least he wouldn't have to listen to me.  Ah, sweet victory. ...

Today started out like any other day on the job.  My shift at Starbucks started at 6am.  I didn't get alot of sleep the night before, and I started to tell myself that UGH....I just had to make it through one more day.  It was Friday, the end of a long and tiring week.  Fridays could sometimes be the busiest day of the week at our store, and you could just feel it in the air that today would be one of those (un)lucky days.  I was irritable, grouchy, and in the process of deciding that this day was just going to suck royally.  To my delight, this outlook found encouragement from most of my coworkers, who seemed disinterested and were more content with singing the praise of the weekend that hadn't yet arrived.  Nobody wanted to be at work.  Misery always seems to love company, especially on the job.  It certainly looked like today was going to suck, but hey, at least we would all be go...

A few days ago, I was gifted with beautiful advice.  Naturally, this nugget of wisdom was delivered to me by someone who loves me from the highest place, and who knew that whatever space I was in when we were speaking, well....let's just say I needed to hear it.   It was just a single phrase, three words long.   And it has barely left my mind since.  Here it is: Walk into today. I took a pause when the words first rang through my ears.  Walk into today .   Hmm.   I knew it sounded like something I could do, and certainly something I wanted to do.  After all, the mere thought of it was helping me to calm down.  But what did it really mean to me?  And what would it feel like? This afternoon, I made a decision to head to the beach and take care of my spirit.  Within seconds, I was revitalized by the warm sun dancing across my face.  I noticed the b...

Aloha Paul, and welcome to the classroom of life. As your instructor, I have a very special lesson planned for today.  If the truth be known, it is actually a lesson that you will continue to work on for the duration of our schooling together.  This one thing will help transform you in ways you can't even imagine.  And it is so simple!  Nevertheless, I want to be sure that you understand the importance of this lesson, OK?  Paul, are you listening?  OK, good.  Now that I have your attention, here is what I want you to do: Breathe, Paul.  Breathe.  In and out.  Excellent!  Did I just hear you sighing afterwards?  Nice work, Paul.  It felt good, didn't it?  Now I want you to remember how it felt to do thi.....PAUL!!  Stop texting already.  Put your phone down, we need to practice.  This is very important work.  Trust me.  Being conscious of your breath will change yo...

Dear Past: You have probably been wondering why you haven't heard much from me lately.  It is not that I am ignoring you.  You know that I have given you more than enough attention through the years.  It's just that, well...you don't seem to have the allure that you once did.  As I bring you forward with me, nothing seems to make much sense anymore.  When I use you as a template, Past, nothing seems to fit.  It's not that I don't contemplate you, or even charge into new situations with you at my side from time to time.  I have just begun to realize that I am not as happy when you are in control. You see Past, you interfere with my recognition of what is really happening in this moment.  In the now.  I know you hate the word NOW, but I have started to see the joys that exist there.  The new ideas.  The new relationships.  The new understandings.  The love.  A...

Tonight I remembered some things. I remembered that I am here to live, love, and create. I am here to share. I am here to be present with each moment, or at least attempt to be. I am meant to take care of my body, mind and spirit. If I don't do it, nobody else will. I was reminded tonight how important it really is to give yourself the gift of time. Relax. Take a breath. Enjoy the art of doing nothing once in awhile. Remember that everything is happening at the perfect pace, and in the perfect place. I am always where I am supposed to be. I really dont have to be anything, say anything, or do anything. I just AM. As long as I am replenishing my spirit, I dont have to keep both hands on the wheel. When I remember this, life has a way of steering itself in the right direction, and all I have to do is trust. I remembered just how perfect the universe is. Money and jobs come and go. People come and go. Relationships come and go. The only real importance in any of it is to experie...

Yesterday, I did something rare.  And considering that I have lived in Hawaii for over two years now, it might come as a shock that it doesn't happen more often.  But every time I do it, I always ask myself why I don't do it more often.  I went swimming in the ocean. There. I said it.  Now cue the snide comments. I don't really know why I rarely go into the waters here on Oahu.  I have no excuses.  But yesterday I was convinced to do it on a gorgeous winter day, and I swam out pretty far (for me).  Suddenly I noticed that I was not even cold as I thought I would be.  In fact, I was really comfortable!  I looked back at the beach, with the sand glimmering in the late-afternoon sun, and looked up at the blue sky dotted with puffy white clouds, and was grateful to have taken the advice to go in. Then came an a-ha moment: This could be my new year's resolution! I will go in the ocean regularly.  Sounded ...

There is something about New Year's that has always appealed to me.  Certainly not the parties, the noisemakers, or watching Dick Clark on TV (though that was a very sad sight this year).  No, what I have always enjoyed most about this time of year is the idea that I can start over again.   It is sort of an official time to hit the reset button, if that is what I desire.  Before pushing forward, however, it is necessary to reflect on the year that was.  Time to revisit the moments that seemed to teach me something brand new, and that touched my heart the deepest.  In 2010, one moment stands above all the others, and seems to be the perfect example of the kind of year it was for me. It was late June, and I was beginning to hike the Na Pali Coast on the beautiful island of Kauai.  My three friends, Renee, Joseph, Amy, and I had decided to take a quick detour up to Hanikapaai Falls.  This was around the 3-mile mark of the 1...