What is life about?
Making memories special
That’ll last forever
Always try new things
Get out of your comfort zone
Love every moment
Now’s the time to act
Life’s hourglass waits for no one
Make new memories
Life’s Haikus
Inspiration
Our Dreams
Our dreams,
define us,
brings out our passion,
unites us mind, body and soul,
shapes our character
Our dreams,
make us work above and beyond,
pushing us to the brink,
testing our resolve,
our faith
Our dreams,
create doubts,
questions our path,
instills a sense a failure,
gives a dose of reality
of something that might never be
But to not make an attempt
means eternal regret,
what ifs,
what could’ve been,
loss of purpose in life
So we remain vigilant
and stay the course,
knowing that possibilities
are within reach
If our hearts are true,
and our will is strong,
fearless,
it is then,
and only then
will we be able to reach
Our dreams.
The Cycle of Goodness
When you perform a good deed for someone, whether it be family, friend or stranger, their look of expression exhibits gratitude. Their appreciation for your generosity and kindness in giving of yourself and your time is reciprocated with a smile, a kiss, a hug, a handshake or words of thanks and praise.
And it’s a good feeling; it gives us a sense of self-satisfaction and prideful joy. Because it feels good, almost intoxicating, we tend to do more good deeds. As for the recipient of your actions, their positive experience compels them to try and do the same for others. Spreading the wealth of selflessness…that’s the cycle of goodness.
It’s the power to connect with people and let them know that there is good in the world and in everyone’s heart. Seeing all those happy people and their smiles, truly makes one proud. You can never forget the look on a person’s face when they express sincere gratitude and acknowledgement.
When we share an experience, a positive one at that, we form bonds. Perpetuating the cycle of goodness, that’s the bond…the synergy of doing something exceptional for someone in a selfless manner.
We can all incorporate this into our daily lives. A simple act can go a long way for someone in need. We must never forget the power of the human heart…goodness is the key that can link the hearts of many.
Living the “Aloha Spirit”
Hawaii is unique in the sense that we really have a multi-cultural atmosphere; yes, every state and country has a melting pot culture as well but they’re not an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with nowhere to go.
We are so isolated that the essence of good and stable relationships is important for collective existence. We think of ourselves as one big community where we just find a way to live and work together. We “talk story”, share customs and meals and influence each other. We take what’s best from each other’s cultures and fuse them together to create this place.
The way we interact and treat one another is how the “Aloha Spirit” is spread. It’s like an expression of kindness, hospitality, spirituality, cooperativeness, humility, unity and graciousness all rolled into one that we share with others, whether it be family, friends, acquaintances or strangers.
Whether you grew up here or a transplant from somewhere far, this attitude becomes engrained in your psyche. It’s a part of our life; we treat everyone like family. If you come here for a visit, just stop and look around. You can’t miss it because it’s seen everywhere, every day.
It’s the person that lets you cut into their lane during gridlocked rush hour, the next door neighbor that gives you fruits from their backyard, the people that come out in droves for a bone marrow drive for a family’s child, the person pulling over to help a stranger with a stranded vehicle on the freeway, the lady that welcomes a stranger with open arms at a party and treats them like a long-time friend, the guy that informs a tourist where the choice spots to go surfing or fishing and what to avoid, the feeling of trying to go above and beyond to help someone in need while being courteous in the process.
I could go on and on and give tons of examples but you get the picture; being hospitable is in every corner of the world. I just wanted to give a brief light into what the “Aloha Spirit” was about. Being tasked with explaining it through a blog was quite difficult for me because it’s just a way of life here.
The “Aloha Spirit” is just spreading goodwill to everyone we meet; sharing a smile, helping out, being friendly, showing that we really care about you. So if you get a chance, it doesn’t matter where you were born or where you’re currently living…maybe you could help spread the “Aloha Spirit” and increase the positivity in the world.
Midlife Reflections #3
The past couple of days, I’ve pondered on my life’s journey and what it took to get me here today. It was a smooth ride that had numerous speed bumps and detours along the way.
I’ve had days when I hit the jackpot and everything went my way; even my mistakes and miscues resulted in a favorable outcome.
AND THEN there were those days where anything and everything went horribly wrong; where life put me in a loop and a series of jokes slapped me in the face one after another.
Regardless of what kind of day, week, month or year I had, I somehow survived; I lived to tell the tale and more often than not, I remembered in detail all of the good that I encountered.
Throughout all of my life’s experiences, I’ve come to the realization that sometimes my greatest memory can be my worst enemy. Relishing and reminiscing about all those happy times brought about a false sense of thinking; that everything would result in something wonderful.
It was good to have a positive outlook but I needed to embrace all the bad that happened in my life wholeheartedly. With every failed attempt I grew closer to success.
With much introspection, I’ve learned to value everything that crossed my path. It helped me to be strong, wise, compassionate, focused, determined and grateful. Life is way too short, so “Find the beauty in every moment” and bring out the best in yourself.
An Eternal Optimist
In the face of
insurmountable odds
and naysayers doubting
your ability
You have to have
faith,
passion,
know yourself
inside and out
Develop a keen foresight
and inner confidence
Have the drive
to fight and persevere
Knowing it will be enough
to overcome everything
Once you can do that,
a spark of hope
springs from an endless well
that leaves you with a sense of
unbridled enthusiasm
A beacon at the end of the tunnel
that will never dissipate
When you can truly feel this way
accept it as canon,
that’s when you know you’re
an eternal optimist.
Writing Haikus
Writing is a gift
That’s given to few, so share
Let your voice be heard
Creating stories
Inspiring today’s children
To always dream big
Writing sets us free
Imagination unchained
Unknown worlds are born
Writing shows our heart
Passion reveals our true self
Our love knows no bounds
Words are our allies
Strings together emotions
Stirs up memories
To Chase The Dream
We all have various dreams,
some big and some small
Achieving them within our lifetime
is a most daunting task of all
The failures, the pain,
the constant agony of defeat
Tests our will, our strength and resolve,
it knocks us off our feet
Constantly trying and failing
is one of the best lesson we’ll get
It develops our drive, determination and passion
improves our successful living skill set
Learning never stops
we have to grow everyday
Acquiring new and interesting knowledge
helps our dream get underway
The grind towards the dream continues on,
it’s a path difficult and unclear
We must grit our teeth, head straight-forward
and show that we have no fear
Our dream will never end
and in our hearts we must be true
To reach our goal, our life-long love
we must persevere and see it through
So when you’re chasing your dream,
dig deep and give it your all
In the end you’ll fulfill your goal,
you can be proud and stand tall.
Midlife Reflections #2
I look back on my life and take stock in what I’ve done and who I’ve become. The one thing that I take most pride in is my ability to be a good listener.
I’ve always felt that if a person takes the time to tell you something of importance, then you should respect that and give your undivided attention to what he/she has to say. I try to listen without judgement and really hear the other person’s words.
Too many times we’ve had and “A & B” conversation with someone but somehow ended up with “B” starting another conversation with “C & D” who just happened to pass by. At that point, you kind of feel irrelevant and try to uncomfortably slink away without being noticed.
In my case, I stay there like a complete doofus because of some sort of self-responsibility to finish what was started. AND when “B” returns back to the original conversation, the whole vibe is gone.
In my mind’s eye, I felt as if I was not important enough to hold your attention when I was unloading my feelings, advice and thoughts.
It is for that reason, in any conversation, that I look the other person in the eye and soak in what they’re telling me even if an outside party acknowledges me. My focus on the person is steadfast. This art of listening is something that I’m trying to instill in my children.
As the days and months go by, life seems to tick away as if it were mere seconds on a clock. Time is precious. So when someone needs to talk to you, be there for them…and listen as if they’re the only person left on this planet.
Forever Strong
We wish good times would last,
that feeling of no tomorrow,
but we know that’s not the case
How does one stay strong
in the midst of the dark
When your life is riddled with
change,
crisis,
death,
tragedy,
pain,
heartache
We try to summon every ounce of
faith,
hope,
love,
courage,
support,
even false bravado
to overcome our trials and tribulations
We will never know how strong we are
until strong is the only choice we have
In the end if we do this, we’ll be
resilient in hard times,
fearless of the unknown,
eternally optimistic,
steadfast in our mind’s eye,
and
forever strong.
Midlife, Maniacal & Me 