The taste of freedom is so delectable- I inhale it sweetly as we make our way over the Pali Road early yesterday morning.  Sitting in the passenger seat of Hunter's new 1975 VW Bug, windows rolled down, sun roof open, I can't help but grin like a kid in the candy store, so ecstatic for the full day ahead of us. 

Hunter is stoked that, Goldie, (the car) is making it over the Pali while I am stoked that our first stop is Boots & Kimo's for breakfast!   I am intimidated by their famous banana mac nut pancakes with the mac nut sauce (that I hear is part ice cream?) so I stick to the regular banana pancakes... which seemed to confuser our server slightly... (like wait.. you want banana pancakes? no mac nuts? no sauce? just bananas? YES please!)

The pancakes were delicious and the short stack was just what I needed before continuing our drive to North Shore the long & beautiful scenic route along the coast.  

Kaneohe, Waiahole, Kahana Bay, Hau'ula, La'ie, Kahuku, and pretty soon we are passing Turtle Bay.  

Stopping at Sunset for a swim.. I am thinking..
"Hello Heaven... it's been too long."

My fish of a boyfriend jumps straight into the water with no hesitation while I decide I would rather fry on the beach a bit before I take the dive. 

Sharing one towel, (how did we forget to bring another?) I phase in and out of consciousness before I wake up to the painful sensation of the sun literally turning my skin red.

Ok- time to take the dive.

The water is bliss.  We splash around for a bit before we decide to drive to Haleiwa for lunch.

It is here at Wailua Bakery I decide that I could easily run a shop like this- selling smoothies, sandwiches, acai bowls- chatting up with regulars and tourists... selling hand made jewelry and art from local artists. Ya... I could definitely do this..

and connect it to my yoga studio of course. 

From here it's onto Ka'ena Point.  Knowing that the road to Ka'ena is a straight shot from Haleiwa, I ask Hunter if I can drive.  Now, Goldie is an automatic, and it's been about 6 years since I have driven stick, but I decide that this is a perfect time for me to re-learn! 

Hunter looks hesitant, but being a wonderful supportive boyfriend, he pulls over so we can switch seats.    With butterflies in my stomach and nervousness that I am trying to disguise as confidence I get ready to go from neutral to 1st.  

Whoo hooo no stalling here- which seemed to be my problem 6 years ago so I think I am in the clear.  

Well- overall I grade myself a B... no stalls, but I was able to go from 3rd to neutral on accident a couple times (in my defense it's kinda hard to shift when it so easily slips into neutral- and I think I would have done better had I not felt this crazy nervous energy coming from the passenger seat!) 

I eventually pull back over to switch seats and ask as I am buckling back up, "so you're going to let me practice again right?"

"Ya," says Hunter. "We'll go to a parking lot next time." Im not sure if I should be thankful or insulted? 

I don't ponder for long as my happy brain is reminded of the gorgeous day we are having and we reach Ka'ena Point. 

Someone left us some love :)

Already dreading the thought of heading back into town, I begin taking mental pictures of the country- to embed them in my mind till I can revisit again. 

Till my next day off.... 

Aloha nui loa ♥ 

I love when I stumble upon quotes that directly reflect something I am going though in life.  I ran across this as I was researching new classes in the community that lululemon has tapped into yet. I am looking at this kickboxing website, which turns out to not just be a kickboxing class, but a class that combines kickboxing, boxing, and martial arts. Sick!  So I am feeling completely ready to dive into my first boxing class and morph into a female version of Bruce Lee when I read a quote in the upper hand corner of the page.. 

"When the mind is not confined anywhere- it is everywhere" 

I couldn't help but laugh because this describes me perfectly.  I LOVE trying new things- I am an adventurist at heart and the demon named FEAR is really like a group of gorgeous butterflies fluttering around waiting for me to (no support to Nike here.. ) but JUST DO IT. 

But this is the way my mind thinks- I see things that inspire and interest me and I am quick to grab a friend and try it.  My focus, especially in the past year since I graduated has been nothing short of an A.D.D prognosis.

In school- it was easy. Too easy- My targets were clear and mapped out. 

.School- volleyball- Intership- work.

Repeat.

So all of a sudden school is pau and I have ALL this time to explore, investigate, and question and do whatever my mind wants- go wherever my heart takes me.  And literally- I feel like I have gone everywhere, while only physically leaving the island a few times.  

It was only after school that I realized how much of a wander my mind is... Like the quote says, if my mind doesn't have a focus- it is EVERYWHERE.  This is why one minute I will be wanting to take Kung Fu (inspired by the remake of Karate kid) another minute I will be wanting to start my teacher training for yoga, and the next I am thinking about taking a year off to go travel. 

Reading this quote was a nice reminder to stop and prioritize things in my life and my goals.  To focus and hone in on the things that I truly want, because that is the only way I am going to see results.  If I keep allowing my mind to bounce back and forth, never making absolute decisions- how am I supposed to grow?

Monday

 A Monday.. that began on a Sunday.. and me posing the question of.. "WOW, my first day off in 13 days? What am I going to do tomorrow?"

Answer: EASY. Get out of Town! 

Thoughts of North Shore rush through my head as I imagine empty beaches, calm summer waters, and a stop to Haleiwa Eats for some mad thai food on the way home.  Monday rolls around- and the forecast shows me nothing but rain- but with a high of 85 of course. P.S. this ALWAYS happens on my one day off. 

Change action plan. 

Already secured my adventure partner. Kat will be joining me on my journey which is perfect. Like me, she is go with the flow, sail with the wind, down for anything. check. check. check. 

So Monday rolls around- North Shore  shows rain, thinking about Kailua or China Walls when I receive a text from Kat saying... "maybe go holo holo to La'ie?"

DONE. 

45 minutes later I have filled up the car and am picking Kat up for a day with no itinerary- except for that we have books to read, skin that needs sun, and a thirst for something different. 

Stopping in Kaneohe for Leonards malasadas and coffee... make that coffee/cappuccino in a can... aka 11 or so ounces of pure crack.. and we are back on the road feeling the high of caffeine hit us with intensity.  Making a quick stop at the Mac Nut farm (I had never been) we sample some amazing tasty mac nuts, talk to some guys from the UK strictly because we liked their accent, and are back on the road. 

Stopping at Kahana Bay for a dip in the water, some reading, and a cat nap for me *meow* we drive farther north till we hit Tamura's.

STOP- Poke and blueberry beer please. 

We take our lunch and head to La'ie point- where we sit on the cliffs for hours- 

meeting tourists who have come from California and New York- posing for pictures, taking pictures, jumping off cliffs (tanks for da reef shoes ;), stopping every now and again to look at each other and say, "We live here?!" Fully appreciating every second of the day and what it has brought us so far. 

Before we know it,  the sun is moving farther to the west and Kat looks at me and says, "You wanna go home?"

"Ya," I respond with a tired but happy smile.  I am ready.  We pack our things and begin the beautiful drive back along the coast to town.

Soulmates

You don't have to be a romantic to believe in a soulmate.

The idea of a soulmate has been finding me recently... mostly in my readings... but it is interesting to see that my two favorite definitions of a "soulmate" seem to mirror each other a bit.
The first definition comes from a Healing Chakra's book I received from Kat a few weeks back at the beach... and goes something like this..

Soulmate: "A soul whom we have known over many lifetimes and with whom we have much in common in terms of characteristics and goals.  Finding out your soul mate doesn't mean we will always stay with them.  The connection may be extremely deep and wonderful, allowing much to be completed for both partners so that they can move on.  We can have more than one soul mate in a lifetime."

the second definition comes from... who guessed? Eat, Pray, Love...

"People think that your soulmate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants.  But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything thats holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attentions so  you can change your life.  A true soul mate is probably the most important person you will ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake.  Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave."

I didn't have to read both of these definitions to know that I have already had a soulmate in my life, and to realize that in fact, sometimes, they don't stay with you.  But they serve a purpose far beyond one that I could understand at the time.  In between the incredibly trying times of push and pull, miscommunications and misunderstandings, timing that never timed out right, and feelings so heavy that my heart literally felt like it was sinking in my body.... was an amazing connection that I shared with another person.  A connection that will not, can not, be repeated.   A sacred relationship that can't be explained, and doesn't need to.  Worlds apart- with no communication still does not break the connection I feel with this person.

 But as both definitions point out, soulmates move on, they leave.  What's left is a deep reflection of the relationship, an appreciation for their presence in your life, and, for me, sending light and love to my soulmate every time I feel the need.

Eat Pray Love

Eat ♥ Pray ♥ Love
Needless to say, the movie was fantastical.  My desire for travel has only grown exponentially with visual images exhibited in the movie.  Lately, my thirst for travel has began moving further from the " I want" category and inching closer and closer into the I must, need, demand (with a sense of urgency!) category.

   Wanderlust has always been a word I can identify with- researching countries, making endless lists of places I want to visit,  constantly hunting for great deals online- though timing has always been an issue.  I was always worried about rooting in Hawaii.... making the commitment to begin a life here.  And then I realized- I started making a life here a long time ago.  I am rooted in Hawaii (and a part of me is even rooted in California.) But that doesn't mean that I can't change my mind- that at any time, I can pick up and go where my heart tells me- even if it is halfway across the world. 

I'm ready to make some big trips- to put a lot of thought & energy into how I want to proceed with 6 months to a year of my life and where I want to spend it.  Europe, Africa, Australia, South America.... how to choose? 

But for the moment- everyday I wake up in paradise and thank the universe for bringing me to this amazing place that surprises me with beauty everyday.

I could have this for dinner every night.... 

and for desert... just give me a moment like this. 

aloha nui loa. ♥

Song of the Soul

"neither knowable, knowledge, nor knower am I, formless is my form,

I dwell within the senses but they are not my home;

Ever serenely balanced, I am neither free nor bound

Consciousness & joy am I

and Bliss is where I am found."

-Atma Satkan (Song of the Soul) 

by Shankara (ca. 800 C.E) 

why my job keeps me stoked.....

because I get to put on amazing events like this Sunset Yoga class we did last night @ Magic Island.  Surrounded by friends, great energy, and incomparable beauty- my community inspires me everyday. 

aloha nui loa