Thursday, June 23, 2011

A few extra moments...

Getting up just a little bit early can lead to a surprisingly big payoff.

I heard a while ago how powerful it can be to wake up at least 30 minutes before your normal time, prop yourself up on your pillows and allow yourself time to "just be" in silence. The idea is that if you take time to appreciate your life before jumping right into it, you will set the tone for everything else that happens that day.  I will admit, I rolled my eyes when I heard that. I mean, it sounds nice and all, but who actually does that? Well, as of yesterday, me. :)

I was tempted to stay snuggled in bed, but didn't give in.  I got up, enjoyed a cup of coffee and then realized if I put my shoes on right now, I could get out the door, have time for a run, make it through the shower and get to work on time. If I left RIGHT NOW. So, I listened to that nudging voice. I did it. I laced up my shoes and headed out the door.

The sky was clear, the sun was bright and Mauna Kea was brilliant and beautiful. I snapped a pic with my trusty iphone and headed on my way.


A couple of miles later, something shiny caught my eye. I've run this route a hundred times easily, but never noticed it before. There it was, sparkling in the sun: 




I knew it was a sign. I finished my run, got ready for work and got on with the rest of my day, feeling like a million bucks.

Monday, June 20, 2011

The Rumbling

Welcome to the first installment of A Snowfall in June.

A snowfall, in Hawaii, in the middle of summer, is about as likely to happen as a parade of flying pigs. And yet, on June 8, 2011, that's exactly what happened.

Not surprisingly, this phenomenon was featured on the front page of the Hawaii Tribune Herald. The caption below this photo reads as follows: "This is Hawaii: Blue skies, swaying palm trees and snow in June. An unusually strong storm for this time of year left the White Mountain wreathed in white over the weekend."


This image struck me as the perfect introduction to my blog. First and foremost, it represents the power of possibility; it champions the unexpected and I LOVE THAT! I have felt for a while that my life is living proof that dreams do come true (more on that later), and that is why I chose this title.

Secondly, I feel a deep and lasting sense of reverence for this majestic mountain. Since I first laid eyes on her rugged slopes and peak, I have felt an inexplicable connection.  Words alone cannot describe it. Translated, Mauna Kea means "White Mountain", but she is so much more than a mountain. Sacred to Hawaiian culture, Mauna Kea is technically an inactive volcano. Although dormant for a very long time (4,600 years to be precise) scientists predict future eruptions. Maybe this explains the kinship I feel. After years of inactivity, forces within me have come alive. No one was more surprised than I when, two years ago, passion for exercise, nutrition, balance and living well began to spew from my core.  And now comes the writing.  I have always loved to write but being published literally gives me "page fright". The call to write is rumbling again, like magma beneath the surface, and I am readying for the flow.

The stirrings come as I read the enchanting adventures of my dear friend, who just blogged her way through Thailand. Her tales of self discovery and spiritual homecoming while halfway around the world made me laugh, cry and nod in knowing.

So here I am, looking out my window at Mauna Kea's majestic beauty. I may not be tooling my way around Chang-Mai on a Vespa, but I am here: in my glorious life, present and accounted for - and so very full of gratitude.

It scares me a little to hit the "publish post" button. And that's exactly why I'm doing it.