Honor, Humility, Hope and Love

Honor, Humility, Hope and Love

It's Valentine's Day - I think of the above. Honor has an ancient and a modern connotation. In historical times honor had everything to do with challenge and saving face and in modern times the word 'respect' is often used by young males also challenging one another. A more righteous definition of honor would be; the courage to do what is right no matter what. A belief that your actions represent more than just yourself. A person of honor will not lie, cheat, nor steal, or tolerate those who do. A person of honor has honesty, fairness and integrity, in belief and action. In other words a person who loves themself, secure in the knowledge of right action.

One can never call oneself humble. That is for other people to do so. Like honor, the word has historical and modern meanings. Historically,  humility was often described in religious terms and along the way it may have acquired the meaning of meekness, but I have learned humility through the extreme challenges that I have faced in my life. The opposite of humility is  disdain, an overbearing pride or feeling of superiority towards others. Studies have shown that people with good leadership qualities gain respect and a following by exhibiting humility, self-awareness without self obsession.

Once again these people show the ability to love themselves in a balanced way.

Hope looks forward to a positive outcome. Gratitude looks back and gives blessings for what we have. Gratitude is an element of love and allows us to feel hope for the future.

So here we are at love. The many faces of love. Romantic love and also lusts for another. Love for our family members and pets. Love for our passions, work and play but none of this is possible if we do not love ourselves first. A big part of self love is observing one's ups and downs and learning from those observations. After a recent bout of depression I had an epiphany when I realized that the thing that had released me from that depression was thinking about a Pastor, Pastor Kit whose teachings I love. Listening to his voice describing that one should never apologize for one's faith and always feel free to exercise it, liberated me from the dark hole I found myself in. I was able to see myself with all my shortcomings but accept the person I am and appreciate myself for the personal challenges I have met successfully, and how I strive to have honor, faith, humility, hope and above all love myself and others.

Happy Valentines Day to all

"To Everything turn, turn, ............

"To Everything turn, turn, turn. There is a season turn, turn

turn and a time to every purpose under heaven"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6jxxagVEO4

These beautiful words from the song by The Byrds started me thinking about the seasons and what they mean to us all. Although I now live in Hawaii (where we only have two seasons, wet and dry)  I grew up in The San Francisco Bay Area where I  had the opportunity to experience the essence of the four seasons.

My next thought was of the winter and my love for skiing. I skied mostly in Squaw Valley where I was a snow hostess (snow ho). I soon learned an entire snow vocabulary; corn snow, yellow snow(don't eat), soft pack, hard pack, crud. The wonderful world of skiing.

Of course, we had a pool in our backyard so summers were wonderful also but at a certain age - that of becoming a woman - I started to feel self conscious about my budding female body as I think many women do. These teenage years were the start of many challenges. My family moved to Australia when I was fifteen where I was definitely an outsider and returning to the U.S. at age 17 to attend university demanded another life adjustment. At 21 my parents divorced. I had finished university by then but floated jobless for a while still trying to understand who I was and what I wanted for my life.

By 25 I had a successful career,  selling advertising, selling real estate, traveling and making money and at that point I became interested in skiing. By 28 I was an excellent skier and life was great.................

The song and the seasons continue with biblical references.t"A time to plant a time to reap, a time to laugh a time to weep..." I married and gave birth to two wonderful children.  " A time to dance a time to mourn. A time to caste away stones, a time to gather stones together"

I built a beautiful house but in the middle of this season, the stroke I had gave me my ultimate challenge. The original thought of the seasons inspired me to think back on those days when I was flying down the mountain, optimistic and self fulfilled. I have come a long way since that stroke and my goal is to one day get back on the mountain and ski.

I honor you and thank you for reading and following my blogs and leave you with the last words of the song which I hope will engender some musings about the seasons of your life so far..........
"A time to gain a time to lose, a time to rend, a time to sew, a time to love a time to  hate, a time for peace I swear its not too late."

                 Resolutions, Solutions - New Year's Tune-up

Before we consider the enormity of the above, let's close our eyes, take a breath and acknowledge the individual blessings in our lives.

• Let's check ourselves at this time. Are you being true to yourself?

•  Would people consider you a 'happy camper' or 'Debbie   Downer'.
  Do you find yourself venting a little too much without considering the problems and the solutions.?

 Of course we all have issues but identifying them and finding solutions takes diligence.

 Information is power and the Information Highway is at our finger tips. It has never been easier to research any subject.

• What are your personal objectives? Share your positive thoughts.
  
• Better, health through diet and exercise.   In my case I have found eating a papaya once a day is a huge benefit to my health  See what you think..

• More love and meaningful relationships in your life. In which case if you give more love and  kindness it will probably come back.

Finally dont be too hard on yourself. Baby steps, the best way to accomplish any goal. We made it this far. So at this time of a new beginning.......... a fine personal tune-up is suggested.

 

             Happy, healthy, fruitful New Year 2013 to all 

        Wishing you  Mele Kalikimaka

         The Wonderful Whales of Maui

Yep its that time of year again. Time for the mighty Humpback Whales to return to Maui. Did you know that the whales migrate 3,000 miles from their feeding grounds in Alaska, in as few as 36 days?  Humpback whales are baleen whales. They expand their pleated throats, take in huge amounts of water and krill and then push the water out through their baleen. The krill remains.

In early whaling days the baleen was much prized in the making of ladies corsets. The blubber was used to make lipstick and candles. In the 1970's The International Whaling Commission voted for a moratorium on whaling. However as late as the 1980's NASA was still using Sperm Whale Oil for use in it's rockets, as it is the purest oil in the world.  Ambergris otherwise known as 'Sperm Whale Poop' is worth thousands in the perfume industry. Perhaps you might be lucky enough to stumble onto some on your next beach walk. Sperm whales also have the largest brain on the planet and the largest penis known to man:)

Well getting back to Humpback Whales...... while here they sing whalesongs. Each season all the male singers sing the same song. It is believed by some scientists that the end note of the song of each season is the beginning note for the song of the next season. Isn't that fantastic! A question could be asked whether any of the songs of previous seasons are repeated. We don't know, as we do not have enough recorded data.While in Maui the Humpback Whales also give birth and mate but do not feed. They only feed in their summer feeding grounds in Alaska. 

The whale's return to Maui, approximately December to April, coincides with the traditional Hawaiian period called Makahiki. Makahiki celebrates the return of the God Lono. Lono is the god of rain, thunder, harvest. During this period the native Hawaiians ceased, farming, fishing and making war. Instead they mended their

nets, played competitive games like outrigger canoeing and spear throwing. They also feasted, sang, danced and presumably stayed home and made love....... Just like the whales......

                    Hau'oli Makahiki Hou.

  

 

    

 

The Fascinating Flowers of Maui

While people may differ in their pronunciation, most would agree that the Protea are beautiful beyond belief. Perhaps upon naming the specie, Carl Linnaeus noticed their regal appearance, and chose their name after the Greek god, Proteus. Proteus was also known for changing form at will, thus likened to the vast range of shapes that the flower Protea takes.  

With their bold and large stems, and textures like none other, the protea is a flower that can truly intoxicate the imagination of the observer. They are multicolored and multidimensional. They can range from soft and furry, to waxy and prickly. They come in many forms, each more mystifying than the next. 

The King Protea and the Pink Mink are some of my favorites. If taken proper care of, these extraordinary flowers can serve as a dry flower arrangement which can possibly last up to a few years!

Proteas are native to South Africa and are principally found in regions of Africa, India, South America, Australia, New Zealand, and even Antarctica.  However, they even do well here in our tropical paradise of Maui, particularly in the upper Kula area. 

I hope you enjoyed this brief introduction to such a fabulous flower. 

A Hui Hou,

Tara 

Stress Be-Gone

     

 Everyone experiences stress in some fashion or other. Certainly humans experience stress in various forms. Yet, it has even been recorded that water can undergo changes at a molecular level in response to the stimuli of the environment. Dogs, horses, certainly humans, and even some plants respond to both positive, and negative, stimuli in the environment. Lions, and tigers, and bear, oh my!, they too have their own form of stress! Stress is a natural function of the body and can sometimes motivate us or  impede us. Yet, stress is very individual. What is stressful to one person might be considered laughable to another. The important thing to note is that stress is something that we all experience in one fashion or another. What kind of stress lights a fire under you - motivating you to do accomplish your greater goals? what kind of stress weighs heavily on you, and how do you respond to those times?
       The factors that can be a source of stress for most people can range from issues of health, relationships, careers, finances, the frustrations of unsatisfied desires and longings, social pressures, and many other various day-to-day  influences. Stress can cause terrible migraines, nausea, vomiting, upset stomachs, and unusually bad body cdor. Indeed, stress can come in a myriad of forms.    
Since we all know the impacts that stress can have on our mental, and physical, well-being, perhaps we should also note the various techniques for learning to de-stress in the very stressful world we live in today. A simple, yet very helpful, technique to begin with is having a personal mantra that encourages yourself to let go of stress. An example of a mantra for releasing stress is saying to yourself "I love you, I care for you,and I wish every happiness for you". Additionally, deep breathing, exercise, the right diet, emotional and physical outlets such as a therapist, lover or friend, herbal remedies such as teas and other muscle relaxants, and experiencing the  joie de vive such as playing and laughter, can all be used to relieve the tensions of stress. Simple activities such as listening to the sound of a baby's laughter can warm a cold heart and can help release stresses of the day.
Stress is a necessary part of life and it comes in many forms. The importance of finding our own remedies, little by little, help us confront the waves of stress that come upon us. Stress can be much harder to deal with when depression, or exhaustion, are present. There are also various types of stress. When rising in the morning, stress is placed on the feet. Yet, this isn't necessarily a negative stress. Some days you can wake up to various other stresses. Yet, some days you will feel comfortable and at ease, and happy to be alive. Stress can be a positive thing, but by the same token, stress can place you on the lower end of the happiness meter. So belt out a good hearty laugh every now and then. Breathing in and out deeply, maybe three times, can help to create a stress free moment.
I pray that you will be able to comfort yourself in times of need. 

A Hui Hou,
Tara

Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone.

Have you ever felt like you were laughing so hard that you were going to "lose your grip" completely (i.e wet your pants, snort, chuckle too loudly?). The release of endorphins is one of the best ways that God has equipped us for happiness and joy. To go into unabashed laughter is one of the most important releases your body can experience. 

There's toots and snorts and the infamous "wetting of the pants". There's nervous laughs and belly aches, giggles, side splits and moments of gasping for air. Some times you laugh so hard it hurts, but it hurts so good. 

Yet, despite all the wondrous joys of laughing, to some it can be a wee bit embarrassing. One risk of laughter is doing things that are unsightly, silly, ridiculous or otherwise thought of as embarrassing to be seen by others to whom we do not know well. Perhaps that is why we feel more comfortable laughing heartily around those who know us well. Laughing is exposing yourself, letting go, losing inhibitions, and sometimes becoming vulnerable.  Especially, for some men, it can be considered a weakness. There are references such as "laughing like a schoolgirl", or "a giggling fool" that make it especially hard to let go. As a side note, did you know that for women the bladder is so near to the muscles you use when laughing that it is easier for us to wet our pants, especially with increasing age and child bearing?

Laughter is a really fun dance of life. It can almost be said that, universally, we love to laugh. Especially when you can laugh at yourself. Laugh at all your own mistakes  and slip-ups, the important meetings you forgot or the countless drinks you spill. I think it can be said that we gain humility by learning to laugh at ourselves. When you can laugh at yourself it feeds your soul handfuls of humility. 

Often times we feel we have a certain decorum. That decorum is often such a terrible waste of positive energy because it restricts our ability, our movements, around laughter. Laughter is good natured and positive and should be expressed freely. Proper decorum would say that it is not cool to snort when laughing. But I, along with the Beatles, say "Let it Be". It is natural and it is good for you. 

So, what does your own peculiar laugh sound like? How familiar are you with the sound of your own laughter? Do you get enjoyment out of your own laugh or is it a little bit embarrassing for you? Just a few questions to ponder on the road to discovery your own unique laugh. 

A Hui Hou

Tara