Keep your hopes alive
Venture beyond your limits
Let your passion soar
Destiny intact
You have a purpose in life
Share it with the world
We each have a dream
Special gifts that change our world
Inspiring all
Sharing
Feeling Thankful Haikus
Things going my way
God answered all my prayers
Feeling blessed today
Goodness consumes me
Spreading love to all I see
Thankful for my life
Hopes and dreams come true
Clarity of life begins
Appreciation
Navigating the Unknown
Lost in thought
nowhere to turn,
what have I done
that makes this a concern
I’ve lived a life
of certainty and control,
stayed in my lane
eyes on the goal
But one fateful day
I decided to jump
Heading into the unknown
taking me out of a slump
These unchartered waters,
scary with every wave
What course do I take?
How do I behave?
This path that I’m on
terrifying and new
Has me out of whack
my life a bit askew
With the chips all down
and back against the wall,
staying strong is the key
to endure the long haul
I’ve learned to be patient,
I’ve learned to be kind,
I became more trusting
by using my heart with my mind
This bump in the road
riled with stress and strife,
I’ll get past this somehow
it’s my test in life
I have to be positive
never wavering in thought,
look at all that I’ve done
be grateful for what I’ve got
Life it too short
I’ll do the best that I can,
live for a better tomorrow
“Everlasting Hope” as my game plan.
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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.
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
Writing Haikus
Writing is a gift
Your words convey true feelings
Inspire everyone
Your stories bring hope
Share them with everyone now
Invigorate dreams
Writing’s a journey
Embrace the path everyday
Always love your craft
My 2nd Anniversary
I can’t believe it, just had to pinch myself. It’s officially been 2 years since I started this venture of blogging…didn’t think I’d last a year let alone two. It somehow feels more like 3 or 4 years but time really has a way of making things seem longer than what they really are. Nonetheless, I am plugging away and putting myself out there for others to stop by and peruse my musings.
I can honestly say that this truly was a journey, one that I was a bit skeptic at undertaking; it kind of felt like homework to me. One where I would be critiqued by not one, not two but countless of others who would find aspects of my work unappealing.
I hesitated for a moment thinking “Am I crazy?! I don’t need to deal with this!” But at my manager’s behest, and her unbridled positive enthusiasm, I decided to “Go for it!”
Even though my blog site is still a work in progress and I haven’t found a niche, I’ve found this venture to be both therapeutic and phenomenal.
I used to be afraid of what people would say about my writing style, my stories, my poems and even my rants and raves. Just putting myself out there without regard of what negative feedback I may get is somewhat liberating.
It’s as if this blog site was my personal diary; a place where I can let my inner voice run wild. A place where my ideas and feelings can paint a picture that was somehow hidden deep within my somnolent consciousness.
Every post written, every word chosen enabled me to create my art with unbridled pride and joy. AND sharing myself…giving some semblance of positivity, inspiration and insight into how I see the world is invigorating. I’m lucky to be able to do this of my own volition. I love what I’ve done so far and eagerly look forward to what I come up with on my next post.
Let Your “Inner Voice Shine Through
In my opinion, one of the best things about being a writer is showcasing our inner voice through our pieces of prose to the world. Our writing style, our choice of words and our descriptive passages all reflect our artistic expression hidden deep within. 
Everyone’s writing style is unique; it can be eloquent, serious, humorous, wordy, concise or simple. The fact that we get our point across to any and all readers, in whatever fashion our voice dictates, is truly amazing. AND the painstaking years that it took just to get us comfortable in writing is a feat in itself. AND the tremendous courage it takes to put forth our laborious effort for strangers to read. 
That’s why I enjoy reading other people’s work; I love the fact that they took the time to share something that was on their mind. I’m able to get a semblance of their personality through their choice of topics and words. It’s like meeting a stranger and getting to know them through their writing. The more I read, the more I become familiar with them. 
We as writers share a piece of our soul in the hopes of bringing to view something that we feel has value and get a sense of self-satisfaction from doing so. Our reasons for exhibiting our work can be therapeutic, informative or for entertainment.
I’ve known a couple of writers, however, that were quite hesitant to impart their work for public viewing for fear of crucifying comments or lack of praise. They toiled over their piece but found it difficult to take it to the next step; in the end, they abandoned their desire for writing. It was a sad loss because I felt that they had something of quality that was worth sharing.
We need to lose all inhibitions and accept the fact that there will be some people that’ll like what we write and others that’ll hate it. It all comes with the territory of our craft and shouldn’t be a factor in deterring our passion for writing.
The joy we get from putting pen to paper, the dedication to honing our craft, the anticipation of producing something substantial from a mere thought and the gratification from seeing the final product are qualities that strengthen our passion. In the end, our devotion to writing should outweigh all reactions, whether it be good or bad. So let loose, face your fears, WRITE and let your “Inner Voice”shine through.
My Perfect Day
We’ve all heard the phrase “That team played a perfect game”, “He/she got a perfect score on the test”, “That was the perfect date”, “He was a perfect gentleman” or “That was a perfect day.”
That word “perfect” obviously meant flawless, without fail. Things went so smoothly that the stars aligned and there wasn’t an ounce of disruption in your particular quest.
For some odd reason that word came to my mind this past week and I tried to fathom what I did in my life that was so “perfect.”
Yes, I’ve had a perfect score on an exam before so that was easy to relate to but as for the rest, I had a hard time trying to comprehend what that really meant. I figured I’d sleep on it and try to tackle that the next day.
The next day arrived; there were no plans or errands to do so it was pretty much a chill day.
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP…I sluggishly turned off the blaring alarm clock and rubbed my tired eyes awake. I looked to my left and saw my wife, Iris, of 20 years still asleep; she was always a deep sleeper.
I gazed at her for a moment and a flood of memories washed over me. It was like a video album showcasing all of the good and bad times; I smirked at how we ended up together and miraculously endured all of this.
Just then, our 3 year old dog “Chibi” started to lick my face as if to say “Good Morning, time for my morning walk now” or it just could have meant “Are you awake now? Good, let’s go play!” Chibi then turned her attention to my wife and did what the alarm clock could not do.
We got out of bed and did our normal routine. Soon after my son, Conor, woke up somberly said good morning and immediately turned on the TV as he plopped on the couch. Soon after my daughter, Chloe, awoke and joined Conor on the couch.
They weren’t their boisterous selves, more like morning zombies adjusting to the daylight and getting their bones, muscles and joints acclimated to the new day.
As the day wore on, our house started to liven up to its usual self. There would be times where I saw Chloe and Conor laughing about something, joking with Iris or playing with Chibi.
Throughout the day, we all would be interacting with each other in some fashion. As the day turned to night, we continued doing our little things to keep us occupied, all the while still connecting with one another.
The day came to an end and we all prepped for the next day of work and school. As we said our goodnights, I laid there in the dark and mulled over what took place throughout the day.
It was just a simple ordinary day of really doing nothing and just relaxing with the family. We laughed, joked and did inconsequential things but enjoyed every minute of it unbeknownst to us all.
I replayed the entire day in my mind’s eye and took stock of how beautiful that was. My sense of appreciation was immeasurable. Nothing went wrong, there were no major disruptions…I couldn’t have asked for a better day. It was simply “perfect”; it was “My perfect day.”
There Is No Bond Stronger
As I was growing up, I never really got the full grasp of what it was like to rely on family members for support; especially that of the emotional kind.
I was always off on my own, or with my friends, involved in insects, cartoons, action figures, video games, comics or remote control vehicles of the fast kind.
When I wasn’t squeezing every ounce of free time for my personal pleasure, my head was preoccupied with school. So as you can tell, it was either trying to finish that super complex homework, study for zillions of quizzes and tests or what to do first when I had free time; those thoughts took up most of my emotional journeys.
Nothing major happened to the point where I needed to consult my parents or siblings for advice. A lot of my life’s lessons came either from trial and error, mostly HUGE ones, or talking with friends. Life was simple, there were no worries.
If it didn’t involve school or play (or girls) then it completely fell to the wayside. That, however, took a different turn as I got up there in age and started a family of my own.
My focus adjusted and my eyes began to really “see” the value of having family around you. I could have a bad day at work, a traumatic incident, health issues or just feeling down in the dumps, but just knowing that my family was there made the trials all the more bearable.
My wife and my kids provided emotional support in ways that inspired hope in me. Just having someone in my corner, through thick and thin, really made all the difference in overcoming the obstacles that were in my path. Their positive words of encouragement, daily affirmations and big burly hugs made all the difference; they truly became my emotional cheerleaders.
My outlook towards my parents were in a state of flux as well; it changed from seeing them as an authoritative figure to that of sage-like confidants that I can pour my heart out to.
It’s interesting how time really changes you and strange that it took me this long to value the bonds we share with our family. I might have grown up slightly different from others but at least I can say that I finally learned how strong family bonds can be.
Midlife, Maniacal & Me 