Doozo Yoroshiku

Today has been wonderfully spent; mini shopping sprees are the best therapy! (Granted you have money...just got my first paycheck baby!..Don't worry daddy I spent only the extra.) It was a fun filledSaturday after a busy week of working.

The most exciting part of today is that I bought material to begin learning Japanese. I chose Japanese because it is an often used language on the island, and not many people at work speak it. So, it will come in handy there as well! My wonderful Japanese roommate(from my last year in college) has given me some tips, and is sending me some toys(what better way to learn than with children's toys, I love playing :D ). I have begun my journey of attempting to learn a new language. I will be studying little bits every day (something useful for the bus rides :D) and will become conversational by May. So, as I said "Doozo Yoroshiku" Japanese! Hopefully we can be friends :D

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

I just finished reading Tuesdays with Morrie. It was phenomenal. A moving story that brings what is really important in life to light. A good refresher course on how to live. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

Since early January I have been keeping busy with my new job. I love my job and feel very lucky that I could find one, let alone one that fits me this well. I don't get to spend as much time with my hunny, but it makes me cherish the time we do get together. It is all coming together the way it is meant to. It's refreshing.

Reading Tuesdays with Morrie has helped me put things back into perspective through all the hustle and bustle of my new life here, and I am thankful. Life is beautiful...

Happy Birthday Martin!

Happy Birthday Martin Luther King Jr.!



Here are some of my favorite quotes from MLKJ, along with my thoughts...enjoy.



"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character"

• I like this one because it reminds me of where we have been, however it is also a reminder of what we've yet to do. Few people continue to judge by the color of skin, but judgement still remains. Sadly, prejudice is still a very real and very prominent problem in our world today.

" Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence by also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him."

• I love this quote because I often find this concept to be difficult. It is so much easier for me to just refuse to like 'the other opinion', to ignore their points(no matter how logical they seem) because it came out of their opinions-that does nothing to diffuse the situation. It only feeds the fire of fighting and misunderstanding. If I learn to respect their opinions(even if I don't agree) it is more likely to bring peace to myself, which must happen in order for me to feel like I can help the peace of the world on a broader sense.

And my top three:

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

• This one speaks to my heart because it's true, it just is! Often times when our friends stick up for us that is what we remember and it makes the friendship stronger. It is also a reminder for me to stop being a chicken, and to speak out if I find something offensive. Silence is not golden, and ignorance is not bliss.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

• Again a (not so subtle) reminder of what my heroes (Lincoln, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr) gave up and 'fought for' no matter the cost. All three of these gentlemen were assassinated for their courage to stand up for what they believed was right. Remembering that makes 'a fear of loosing friendships, or appearing foolish' seem small, and pretty much irrelevant.
  

"We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now."

• This is my all-time favorite! (and something everyone should remember) We did all come from different ships, some families are brand new to this country and some are most definitely not-either way we are all in this together. So maybe we should stop bickering, attempt to respect each others opinions(and hopefully, eventually, actually respect each others opinions), and work together as one big team to bring about change that will help the country and the people. This will not happen overnight, but I believe it can happen-this is my dream.

"You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result" -Mahatma Gandhi

This morning I read an article. (Here is a link if anyone is interested http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_14181184?source=email#top ) It is a wonderfully written article, and is also one that hit close to home. What I find most inspiring, besides the author's strength and desire to turn his life around, is the impact of one police officer's compassion on his turn around. This one person who took time to talk with and council him so impacted his life that he could do what he has done to climb up to where he is now. This is the type of person I want to be.

Not only do I want to be the compassionate person who can do what Deputy Josie Fox did, be an everyday individual who can make a difference (no matter how small) by just reaching out a loving hand and a listening ear. I also want to be on the other end. I want to be the one who has the courage to do what needs to be done, regardless of the hurtles that loom up ahead. Russell you inspire me and I love you bunches.

Stories like these remind me that its worth it, and give me hope.

Inspirations from Avatar

Last night I saw Avatar in 3D. Spectacular! It was the first movie Scott and I had been to since moving to Hawaii, and it was amazing! The plot, special effects, characters...it was all just spectacular. I highly recommend it.

One of my favorite quotes is "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away" -Anonymous Avatar reminded me of this quote because when Jake first tries out his new digs he shows all the enthusiasm of an awestruck child. Children can see the world at the most basic level and enjoy it all. I don't want to go back to childhood, just back to being a child. This new year I am going to try and 'stop to smell the roses' and enjoy the paradise around me, even if my job gets stressful, or the apartment is messy, etc... There is beauty all around, I just have to remember to enjoy it instead of rushing past in my hustle to do 'the important stuff'.

One breath taking hike with my baby

Kuliou'ou Ridge Trail in Aina Hina, Oahu

Last Monday I officially started work! This past week has been a blur of paperwork, meetings, trainings, more paperwork all topped off with some patient visits. It was wonderful!

Starting out on my journey as a Hospice nurse is very exciting. I feel that it is right where I belong. Hospice offers all that I ever wanted out of nursing; compassion, listening, being present for the patient and family, and best of all it's okay to cry on the job. (Perfect for me, or what?!) Along with the hands-on knowledge and skill needed to be a nurse, hospice allows me to do the heart-on aspect of nursing too!

Thanks to all my friends, family, mentors, and heroes you know who you are and I am who I am today because of each and every one of you. All my love...

Lessons from the Duke

Duke Kahanamoku, the father of longboard surfing in Waikiki... What a great man.

Recently I have taken up surfing, and am in love. Scott and I got boards for Christmas and on Christmas morning we went surfing with our buddies out by Diamond Head (Leahi). It was beautiful. Sunrise coming over the clouds, and a rainbow framing Diamond Head and the lighthouse below. Perfect, peaceful, and inspiring...

Thinking back moving from Utah to Hawaii and all the adventures in between has been like my surfing story. My first time surfing I borrowed a 'beater board' from a friend, we went out and I caught a wave ( pretty easy to do on a 10 foot board) Well, let me tell you the beach boys were on to something when they said "Catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world". It was a rush. Then after I got my own board (a 7 footer) it was frustrating. I couldn't catch a wave, I felt weak, and I couldn't stand up. Christmas day changed that. Well, I still can't stand up, but I am getting better. My surfing muscles don't hurt as much and I don't get rocked quite as hard (or at least not as often), but it doesn't matter because being out on the ocean is a rush enough.

That is how the move was. Exciting! Spreading my wings with the man I love, taking flight to a wonderful adventure. Then frustrating with all the rejections for employment, and the perception of a smaller support circle than I was used to. Christmas day changed my perspective on that too. Now, life is perfect. Its not always ideal, but it's perfect the way it is. Things fall into place when they are meant to, to teach us important lessons and create us into better humans. It still gets rough, but I've come to realize my circle isn't so small as I viewed it. My troubles are as big I make them. And always I am loved by people near and far and by the world that holds us in her arms.

Mother earth is big, but we are all connected. We have to take care of each other. Taking care to not run each other over during the hustle and bustle of life. Taking care to encourage those around you. Taking care to give and not always take. But most importantly taking care to love, and find good in everything. Everything has a purpose and a time to reveal, we just have to wait.

island haven

Finally after 4 months my new island home is feeling like, well a home. The move was exciting, then stressful, and now the dust is settling. A job has fallen into my lap, we have a good apartment, and a circle of support that is growning. My island home is feeling more and more like a haven as opposed to the unknown that it used to be. Life is good :D