Pushing the reset button.

Things Hawaii is teaching me that I hope I'm learning:

• There is beauty in everything, even the ordinary. I wish I was a better photographer so I could capture the simple beauty in this world. It's in everything and everyone. We just have to slow our lives down a little to notice. Yesterday I spent an hour following a giant sea turtle around the ocean, he was almost twice my size. It was pretty amazing. Sea turtles have been around since ancient times, they haven't changed and they still aren't in a hurry. We should be more like sea turtles. Every tree, rock, wave, sunset, and person has something uniquely beautiful about it, I am glad I'm finally starting to notice.
  
• You will never get today twice. You can never have yesterday back. Make the best of it. I have mandatory 'in the ocean' time every day. What if I don't live by the ocean someday, I don't want to regret not exploring every wave and reef while I had the chance. Make the best of your situations or make a better situation. Don't restrain yourself by what others think you should be doing. If you are not happy it is not good. If you find yourself wishing something...stop wishing and make it happen. If you are wishing you could fly, probably don't listen to me, or at least wear a parachute.
  
• The ocean is pretty darn cool. We know more about the moon than we do about the ocean. I want to live on a sailboat someday. Just go wherever in the world I want. A tropical storm just hit Hawaii. I watched the ocean in the channel between Maui and Lanai'i for hours. It looked like a giant river the way the wind was blowing the water. It was beautiful. I don't know why I'm so fascinated with water but I am and I should have been a fish.
• I'm proud of myself. I'm proud of myself because I haven't grown out of the things I think are fun. I love to do all the same things I loved when I was little, plus a bunch of new stuff. I'm not saying I haven't grown up, I just haven't grown boring. I hope I backflip off ridiculously high cliffs when I'm 80!(just hope I land them better then) Simple things in life still give me pleasure. I still get giddy at waterparks. Brightly colored fish are still fascinating. I still put my hand out the window in a car and pretend it's an airplane. And I really wish I had my legos with me. Stupid silly things still crack me up. And farting will always be funny! Kudos to me for still doing the things I love to do.
  
• I'm still kind of a hopeless romantic. A little more hopless than before I think, but still. Most of you that know me at all problem won't believe any of this, but I still hope I have a sappy 'chick flick' story to tell my kids someday. Kinda thought I'd lost faith in that mushy stuff but I guess it's back. No reason in particular why that I can think of that it's back, time heals all wounds I guess. But I'll even be so bold as to use the L word here. I'm super stoked about falling in love with someone someday. Hasn't really happened yet but that's why it's so exciting, it's never happened so it will all be completely new. Like eating chocolate for the first time after a lifetime of chocolate fasting. (Hmmm, I'm talking about lovey stuff here, not kinky stuff;  chocolate analogy might not have been the best.) I look forward to all that mushy lovey stuff. And even though there's still other stuff I want to do in life first, I like knowing I will always have that great eternal adventure to look forward to. And all the small everyday adventures we'll have together!
• Laughing is awesome, I've always know that, but just brain farted a bit.
• Music is awesome. I totally regret only going to piano lessons for three weeks. I love music. Kinda thought I was loosing that too but it's also back. There is so much good music out there it's a little overwhelming because I just want to listen to it all. I have a musical surprise for everyone too, to be disclosed at a later time! Sure wish I had a lick of musical talent though.
• Lahaina is FRICKING hot! That's where I live, Lahaina, thank goodness for mandatory ocean time.
• Being kind to people is a trait I value in people more than anything else. I wish I was better at it. The secret to happiness, (besides all that gospel stuff) listen up people this is important, is kindness. Being kind to others and being around those who are kind to you. Also, a lifetime supply of chips! I L O V E chips. seriously, it's like joyfull bliss in a bag! But really though, kindness=awesome. Having a bad day? Go to a nursing home, or a parking lot, or your neighbors house, and do something nice for someone. To those of you in my life who are kind to me (you know who you are because you are still in my life) Thank you so much! I love you all!
• But mostly... life is Awesome. I like it, a lot. Thanks for that all those involved.