I joined friends celebrating Thanksgiving Day at the Bird Park in Kau on the Big Island of Hawaii. I very much enjoyed the sunny day at the Park, which was off the beaten track amidst Koa and other native Hawaiian trees.
Here are some photos of the occasion
Little Jasmine welcomed my arrival. After I told her my name, she asked me if I'm really the "Little Mermaid."
We held hands and formed a circle. And then we prayed, acknowledging and thanking everyone and everything, including the trees, the sky, the birds, the ocean....
A "for posterity" pic
He obviously loved his whipped-cream topped pumpkin pie.
The other day, when I celebrated an important "th" birthday, I decided to quit smoking cigarettes. Again. It has been an off-and-on thing with me. I've quit in the past only to resume smoking again. For about five years -- from 2006 to mid-2011 I was not smoking. Then I met someone in 2011 who smoked and that got me into cigarettes again.
I've been dependent on tobacco whenever I need to think and write about anything. Having to do without the nicotine rush drives me nearly insane and climbing walls.
For the past several days, I've had to ask friends to distract me from my cigarette cravings, especially at night when I write my blog.
I'm afraid I just have to kick my nicotine addiction this time and for good. I have decided to make this both a public confession and a commitment. That way you can hold me accountable.
Besides, I have a hunch that the other side of the wall is a much prettier place than the one I'm in now.
As I make a mantra of what is in the graphic below, I ask for your prayers and vibes of support. Thank you!
Today, my birthday and one of those "th" birthdays that marks another decade of life, I think of how life has been kind to me. True I've had what may be called as "setbacks" but those may be seen as misfortunes only if I choose to look at them that way. Instead, I'd rather see them as growth and learning opportunities, which I am grateful for.
As I look back at my life so far, I have many to be thankful for; the most important of which is getting younger as I get older. Yep. It may sound funny but it is true. The older I get, I find myself dancing more, accepting more, forgiving more, loving more. If only for those I celebrate my "th" birthday with much gratitude and aloha.
Thank you for having been/ being there for me: Tony, Rosie, Arlene, Boyet, Arne, Alvin, Emil, Vera, Dimps, Miley, Vir, Philip, Michael, Scott, Tita Joy, Beta, Beda, Pinky, Greg, Monette, Debbie, Gerry, Pualani, Rex and Laurel, Marcella and Domingo, Elena, Ida, Barry, Mitch, Louise, Jewel, Serina, Janel, Lindsey, Lucena, Gary, Patty, Wanda, Dana, Ralph, Peter, Paul, Ste, Res, Lek, Lou, Cherlita, Cyn, Efren and Gemma, Shirley, Obet, Lowee, Arnel, Jill, John, Vicky, Laura, Emy, Badong, all my cousins, nephews and nieces, all my other relatives, friends and associates. If you're not mentioned here don't feel bad. Only my memory missed you. You're still in my heart! I love you all!
I am sharing below a video and lyrics of a favorite song to celebrate my birthday. Enjoy!
When your life goes round in circles, feel lost in time
You keep searching for the answer, which you never find
You've been holding on for too long, letting life pass you by
Give it up, surrender, let it go this time
Send it out to the universe, let it fly away
Send it out to the universe, whatever's meant to be will be
Send it out to the universe, let it fly away
Send it out to the universe, whatever's meant to be will be
Just have faith in things you can't see, open your heart
There's no better feelin' than to be free, right where you are
Everything that you need, the world will provide
Listen, hear your calling, it's louder than your own mind
Send it out to the universe, let it fly away
Send it out to the universe, whatever's meant to be will be
Send it out to the universe, let it fly away
Send it out to the universe, whatever's meant to be will be
When we trust in nature, on wisdom we fly
Just remember you're connected to the land and all lives
In the essence of our heartbeats, live old and wise
It's the truth within this kingdom, kingdom of the Most High
Send it out to the universe
Send it out to the universe
Send it out to the universe
Send it out to the universe
Let it fly away, hey hey hey
Send it out to the universe
Whatever's meant to be will be.
Ariel with friend and fellow scorpio, Janice Mancini at a surprise birthday party given by friends Pualani and Ralph, Lava Shack, November 8, 2013. Thank you guys for your thoughtfulness, hard work, and for going out of your way to make the party happen. Pualani, that cake you baked is to die for and I'm glad that you didn't put in all the candles! lol!
Today I am sharing the touching story of a man who pursued his passion undeterred by disability or age.
Hal Lasko is a traditional painter who now paints using the computer. Right! There is seemingly nothing remarkable in that -- unless you know that Hal is legally blind. He is also 97-years old.
It seemed to me that, in the video below, Hal looked both joyous and young.
What's bad is that I sometimes feel resentful and anxious.
But what's good is that I sometimes manage to catch myself feeling resentful and fearful.
Before all hell breaks loose and I am consumed by darkness I quickly shift my mind to visions of "raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens brown ... paper packages tied up with strings." (Care to venture a guess where that quote came from)?
I stop seeing people as predatory or a situation as utterly indefensible. Instead, I see the humorous in people's frailty and mine. I acknowledge the futility of worry. And all becomes well and I'm ready to dance like an idiot again.
Like my late husband often said: "It's all good!"
Thank you God for the gift of wisdom and flexibility.
I'm sharing the video below of Bruce Cockburn's "Wondering Where the Lions Are." Lyrics are are also shown below. Enjoy your weekend!
Sun's up, um hmm, looks okay The world survives into another day And I'm thinking about eternity Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me
I had another dream about lions at the door They weren't half as frightening as they were before But I'm thinking about eternity Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me
Walls windows trees, waves coming through You be in me and I'll be in you Together in eternity Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me
Up among the firs where it smells so sweet Or down in the valley where the river used to be I got my mind on eternity Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me
And I'm wondering where the lions are... I'm wondering where the lions are...
Huge orange flying boat rises off a lake Thousand-year-old petroglyphs doing a double take Pointing a finger at eternity I'm sitting in the middle of this ecstasy
Young men marching, helmets shining in the sun, Polished as precise like the brain behind the gun (Should be!) they got me thinking about eternity Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me
And I'm wondering where the lions are... I'm wondering where the lions are...
Freighters on the nod on the surface of the bay One of these days we're going to sail away, going to sail into eternity some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me
And I'm wondering where the lions are... I'm wondering where the lions are...
One reason I like social media is the ability, without having to board a plane, to exchange feelings, ideas, thoughts with people from all over the world. Below is a sample of one of those exchanges. It is about finding something new.
It is amazing to me how I can read something again and gain something different than I did the day before. Just as it amazes me that we each read a comment or post and understand something a little different. I suppose we take what we need at any given moment or time. Taking a piece of the thought with us on our journey.
The same goes for music. Sometimes you hear a little something different the next time you listen to a song or instrumental music. The same can be said of people. Spend time with them and you see a facet of their character that you've never glimpsed before. Being able to discover something new even from the old is one of the joys in life and another indication of just how amazing our capacity to find beauty is. We are such wonderful beings. Thank you for sharing your insights +Abhishek Anand
