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.