With the upcoming 2010 there is much uncertainty, curiosity and excitement in the air. I know for me 2009 is a year I am quite pleased to have behind me. It was educational and character building, yet one of the most unpleasant years of my life. I will take what I have learned and bring it into the launch of this New Year.

The 2012 shift we have all heard about and are talking about is happening. Many say it has been happening since December ‘09’s Winter Solstice and others say much longer. We are heading into the end of the Mayan Calendar and closing of many other cycles of historical time counting into a season of new, one which we have never ventured before. This idea of the unknown seems to have a tendency to muster up a lot of fear in people. The sense of the unknown-yet what I don’t understand is who ever felt like they really knew anything anyway? With 2009 filled with the rapid changes in the money, the war, the world how could we ever say we knew anything? Have we really ever had a sturdy leg to stand on. Heck, the earth’s crust is floating on molten magma, shifting plates and ice melting everywhere, tsunamis and tornadoes, change can happen any time. How are we to know the consistency of anything? Ever.

In Hawaii, we live on an island of active volcanoes, completely surrounded by water and the furthest from any land mass. Why are we here? Why is it that Hawaii has been one of the most highly sought dream destinations in the world? Paradise. Is that reliable? Many live here, born here, move here and feel just as “safe” as others in the world, some safer. Is it the beauty, the colors, fragrances and aloha spirit giving people the sense of stability and momentary lapse of need to feel they know it all? What I have learned is that those wishing to have all of the answers and control the situation are those who never really settle into the island living and many leave. Paradise seems to be a place to swim in the unknown in order to truly drink in its gifts.

So, with that I say jump into paradise! Live as though you live Hawaii. The dream. Paradise, where we allow days to unfold and reveal themsleves. Where controlled time is out weighed by natural time. Dance with life like the hulas of the ancient Hawaiians. Let go and dive into the unfolding of the great unknown. This is the time to truly do what your sprit invites-the drive of intuition, the drive of love, the drive of seeking a fun and sensational experience on this planet here and now. This is the time to live fully and teach our children to do the same.

If we don’t start to accept that living in the ocean of the unknown is the only way to live then we may not make it much further past the pier without having a nervous breakdown trying to find “solid” and “trusted” ground. If we don’t release control how will we ever learn to live in paradise?

Grab a canoe filled with loved ones and friends, some fresh fruit, wear your sunscreen and go for it! I highly suggest screaming and laughing as much as possible to keep the excitement and fun rushing through the waves and uncharted waters of your days. Let go and allow for paradise in your life!

Waimea, Hawaii The journey begins!  In 1980 We moved our young family from Honolulu to the quaint little village of Waimea, no traffic signals, no fast food and less than 2000 people plus all the bonuses of being in Hawaii.   From any vantage point you could appreciate the spectacular beauty of Waimea's rolling hills , it's endless pasture lands and the larger than life volcanoes, which surround it..........Can you imagine all this and great schools too!.......What more could a young family desire than thousands of acres of open space, a small, diverse, welcoming community... and just a short flight away from the life we were leaving behind.  

I have vivid memories of being on the phone (a positive addiction for realtors) looking out of my window and thinking where on earth could you possibly find comparable beauty.... it's the Big Island.....amazing!  The move was not immediately joyful....We left our home for sale on Oahu in the hands of a colleague (always a good idea for realtors to have someone else sell their personal home) and my husband had stayed behind to pack.  So with visiting grandpa in hand, we took off  for Waimea (of course in those days we hadn't  quite figured out why it had two names) Later we were informed by old-timers "if you live in Kamuela, you live in the post office.......we were straightened out pretty quickly......Back to our arrival.......Well now that the name Punahou has reached beyond the Rockies, understand that my husband's Punahou classmate's family owned a little house in the best area of town and it was available for us to rent......Imagine the faith or stupidity of a realtor renting a house sight unseen. Well it was a long time ago.  We arrived in Waimea late afternoon, my father-in-law, my nine year old daughter and her three year old brother and to this day I am not sure what the kids were thinking. It ' so often about mom and dad growing up and the lucky children get to go along on the journey. Imagine hunting cabin, not Montana style, not 7000 square feet, maybe 1000 square feet  and most likely not used for years or even visited.  A main room, and two bedrooms (8X8) with two sets of built-in bunks..The view of Waimea was to die for but everything else was a far cry from our charming Kahala home amd my daughter's Laura Ashley bedroom and playroom and swimming pool and friends. Somehow, we still had our sense of humor and thank heaven for Grandpa, who rose to the occasion and suggested we head to the closest store for cleaning supplies and disinfectants. It was a long day and we were rather disheartened  but the three of us found  an old punee and rested our weary heads and as we fell off to sleep ...they both clearly muttered....why did we have to leave our home??????  ...to be continued