Finally Friday Week Four: I Am Alive

The Bird Totem on Puget Sound

Okay...It's Sunday! I'm having trouble getting here on Fridays, but it will happen. When Friday comes, I'm out experiencing life because.....well, I am alive!

I think it's easy to forget.

It's easy to get wrapped up in this drama or that drama. Thinking can take such a great hold on the mind that it's easy to forget that life is happening right now.

For the past three or four days, life has been pulsating and vibrating in me. It has been so blissful, rapturous even, that it has often felt overwhelming or hard to contain at times. I was afraid, for a few split seconds, that it would swing the other way and my thoughts would take me down a deep dark path, but it hasn't happened.

I know life has it's ups and downs, but if I stay here in the present and fully experience life as if it is happening to me for the very first time, I experience something indescribable. In fact, words don't often do it justice, but I'm here to write, so I'll do my best. This poem spontaneously came to be right now:

Totem of Life

Do you ever look at the ocean? Really see it.
Do you see the waves, the deep blue, the vastness of it,
A lone boat in the distance at dusk with just a flickering light.
You feel you are on that boat.
You can feel the solitude and peacefulness of the moment.
The boat reflecting back at you,
And you, a lone person on a cliff staring out at the sea,
Are also sharing a moment with that boat and its sailor.

And then, did you see that hummingbird?
The one that hovered above your head,
It's tiny green body full of life,
pulsating with it,
flittering, fluttering from flower to flower,
Did you see it?

And the smell of those flowers....
Of lilies and lilacs.
The sun beating down on your head
Warming your entire body from head to toe,
You tingle with this sensation.

And then the sun going down,
Crimson and orange and pink—
Darker and darker.
The Bird Totem next to you comes alive too.
The outline of it,
Like a person, almost, watching the sunset with you.
A totem of life, of lives...so many lives culminating.
All of life's secrets, prophesies, legends and myths
Become known in that moment.

I didn't expect I'd write a poem today, but it came out that way for some reason. It's these pieces of life woven together. I am witnessing more, feeling more. Who knows how long it will last. I seem to have this curiosity with life these days. When I walk to class, I see the cherry blossoms looking at me like one thousand eyes penetrating my being. The purple crocuses hidden under a bush cry out for attention. I can't rush to class and miss them. All around is this beauty reminding me that I am alive. When I enter this space of now, I understand everything at once.

What have you witnessed about life lately? 

365 Inspirations—200: A Spontaneous Trip

Our ferry approaching dock

"Courage and willingness to just go for it, whether it is a conversation or a spontaneous trip or trying new things that are scary - it is a really attractive quality."—Alanis Morissette

The weather has been so nice, so I invited a friend to come with Yoon and me on a spontaneous trip to our family lake house. It's nice to get away from the city. We got in late, so this post is going to be rather short.

After getting a bite to eat at Ivars on the pier, we boarded the ferry at 9:00pm. It was so beautiful because the sun had just set and the city view was picturesque.

View of Seattle from Puget Sound

More soon about our spontaneous trip to the lake.....

Good night friends!

Have you ever taken a spontaneous trip anywhere?

365 Inspirations—194: LONG Summer Days

Sailboat on Puget Sound today

“I almost wish we were butterflies and liv'd but three summer days—three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain.”—John Keats

I am just now getting on the computer. The weather has been so nice in Seattle, I haven't wanted to be online. This weekend, Yoon and I have made it a point to be outside as much as possible.

It doesn't get dark out until almost 10PM here! I absolutely love it. Last night, we walked around Greenlake at 9PM and saw the sunset on the lake.

It was so peaceful. People were sitting on the lake's edge staring at the crescent moon.

Today I cleaned house in the morning and then when Yoon finished with his yoga classes, we headed to Carkeek Park on Puget Sound with our lawn chairs and books. We found a perfect spot in the sand and set ourselves up.

The water was sparkling and the temperature was perfect. Families mingled along the water's edge. Some waded out to their waists. Cruise ships heading to Alaska passed by. It was a day for boats and water toys. We saw paragliders, sailboats, canoes, rafts, motor boats, and other floatables.

When we got home, I cooked salmon, corn on the cob, green beans and garlic toast and we ate dinner out in the garden. It's now 9:22PM and the sky in pink still from the sunset.

I'm going to go and enjoy the rest of the evening while it's still light out.

How are you spending your long summer days?

365 Inspirations—176: Seattle's Abundance of Nature

“Earth does not belong to us; we belong to earth.
Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints.”—Chief Sealth (Seattle's namesake)

If you are looking for a city with an abundance of nature, Seattle's your place. Trees, ocean, beaches, rivers, lakes, streams, forests, trails, mountains—it's got it ALL.

I don't know what I was thinking when I thought I had to go far away to experience all this beauty. It's right there in my backyard!

Today, on a walk through Carkeek Park in Seattle, a 10-minute drive from our house, I witnessed nature in all her glory.

Being a Washingtonian native, I've learned to identify various plants, flowers and berries...yes, it's berry season in Washington and we have an abundance of wild berries growing right in our city parks.

Today I saw lots of ripe huckleberry and we devoured many.

I also found a field of thimble berries and many of them were ripe and ready to pick. They were delicious.

Salmon berries are just about at their peak, but we found some good ones too.

The wild roses along the path by the water smelled divine.

It was the trees that really seemed to speak on the path.....and we were listening....

Finally, we meandered down to the ocean. It was low, low tide. We took off our shoes and walked along the beach with our feet sinking into the sand.

 The smell of seaweed and salt permeated the air. We saw crabs, clams, kelp, barnacles, mussels and even this guy.....a crane!

I felt so rejuvenated walking in this park and the amazing thing is that Korean food is also just a 10 minute drive away and that's where we stopped in for lunch!

I'm realizing, after my solo trip to the country, that often the best place is right where you are. I feel lucky!

Do you like where you live? Is there an abundance of nature where you are?

365 Inspirations—26: Sunsets

"When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator."—Mahatma Gandhi

Yesterday turned out to be surprisingly sunny in Seattle. I went to yoga in the morning and met a friend for Korean food for lunch. When we stepped out of the Korean restaurant, sun was all around! It was so nice. We went to my house for tea and the banana bread I made yesterday and chatted a bit and then I drove her home. It was a wonderful day!

The sun was still high and suddenly I had an impulse to go down to Puget Sound and watch the sunset, but was afraid I was too late. I googled "Sunset today in Seattle" and "5:00 PM" in huge print showed up on my computer screen. It wasn't 5:01 or 5:20 or 4:45, the sun would set at exactly 5:00 PM. I found this so intriguing. Such an exact time for the sun to decide to set!

I looked at the time and it was 4:40 PM. I hopped in my car and drove to a park near my house on Puget Sound. As I mentioned in a previous post, right here in Seattle we have the most picturesque parks with a view of the Olympic Mountains, ocean, sand, beach and forest. It is so breathtaking to see these all at once right in the city!

As I was winding down to the water, I could see the sun slowly sinking between the trees. There were plenty of parking spots. I parked, grabbed by purse and made my way down to the water.

There were people walking up and down the beach and couples huddled together waiting for nature's show. Children drew images in the sand with sticks and some people even brought a picnic dinner.

I sat down on a log very close to the water and listen to the sound of the waves. A train roared by hugging the coastline. What a spectacular ride for the passengers! The sun's reflection on the train caught my eye.

 Another day was almost over and I wanted to see the very last glimpse of light on the horizon. I wanted to freeze the moment. I closed my eyes and meditated for a moment. I felt like I was in a holy place, like church or a temple. Every sight, sound, smell and touch felt like a benediction.

After the sun dropped away, I felt a chill in the air as night began to set in.

I made my way to my car, happy that I did not let the day and nature's final offering slip away from me unnoticed.

Do you like sunsets? Have you seen a sunset recently?