Looking for positives

One  thing I am positive about is that I cannot do white.....when I was getting  my facelift and wrinkle and line remover stuff from Adi the  other day, she took a picture of me with this mud mask and all I could see was the snowman in the picture.  That white beach cover up was not my best look.  And then yesterday a women was at the world peace prayer day had moved to Hawaii a few years ago and wanted to chat about mutual people we know and she wanted a picture taken with me so I could share it at the Chicago center.  The white sweater I had on over my cute black dress with white trim was again not to be claimed as one of my best accessories.  It made me remember several other times that I had white on and it should have been the least of my wardrobe, not the main piece.  So.....in a positive that I will not wear these again, I left them in the closet in the hotel room.  My hope is they have a collection basket and they eventually send the things to goodwill or some charity.  It was a charity for me to just leave it.

Another positive is that I made a new determination to get rid of this dang arthritis.  I must admit it was a bit limiting on this trip.  I hesitated to take very many strolls and walks since I was constantly in the old lady limp phase.  How can I allow my future youthful beauty to shine through when I am  grimacing from pain?  I will be Stepping up the chanting and doing whatever else I can do to be done with this.

As I am sitting here reflecting on the things I have learned or have had reinforced for me, I am by the pool after the sun has gone down listening to a live band playing  at the restaurant that is beside the pool.  Of course they are all classics so they evoke a lot of memories at the same time.

Things I learned this week:

While I like being alone and solitude, I also like having someone to do things with.

I cannot live in a time zone that is more than 2 hours away from the kids.  An hour is best.  Those hours confuse me and it is hard to know when to make phone calls,

I appreciate young parents (especially my kids - and JT that includes the spouses ) and how important it is to raise well rounded,, respectful and social children.  They are the future of our world.

Every minute of the day might require a choice to make. Do I smile at the lady who kicked my lounger while I was sleeping and startled me awake?  Do I offer to move on the trolley so a lady with a baby can sit down?  Do I get lonely and stay in my room or make myself go down by the bar where i am at least around people?  Do I consider this a successful vacation or not?

Kind of back where I started this trip.....Things happen for reasons and they give us an opportunity to to show what we are made of and find a way to be happy in spite of external things.  So.....I am positive I choose being happy and I am getting better and better at shortening the struggle it sometimes takes to get there.

Mahalo (thank you) to those who read these notes and thoughts.  It made me get out and do something every day so I had something to share.  And if it did accomplish that which made it a positive for me.

A Five "S" Day

I just got back from world peace prayer day went to add to what I had already written for today and mistakenly erased the whole darn thing which I of course did not take the time to save.....

My recollection for the day was how it was shitty, sad, sucky and many other negative S words, but after having gone to the center and chanted, it was probably appropriate that it got deleted.  Doesn't mean I didn't feel all those things today, but they all passed and in the end I still choose to be happy and see challenges as an opportunity to chang my karma and be victorious.  My choices,  my life,  my happiness.

Still, I am glad to be heading home tomorrow.  While it has been a nice time it wasn't a great time.  I was able to see and be in a state I needed to check off, got to see a man strip out of his suit to take off underwear and put the suit back on again (His wife was so embarrassed when she realized I was there and kept apologizing) got to go snorkeling for the first time and am sitting on my balcony listening to     a live band playing for a wedding.  Good thing they are good.  Mostly mellow.  Hawaiian and classic tunes.  No rap hip hop yet.

Lots of other moments that stand out, but lots of moments that gave me too many reminders that when you go to a single place for a period of time, it is good to have someone to hang out with.  When you travel by car from place to place there are fewer reminders that you are on your own.  Or maybe I just was not great me company this trip.

One more day and I will be headed home.....that seems splendid, super, satisfying,  and simply good.