The Beach

Today we kept it simple. I spent the morning writing, reflecting, and looking into other job prospects since my schedule has been open. After that Alex and I rolled over to Kamaole Beach to  go for a swim. From when I first considered coming back to my actual arrival here I have had a strong desire to swim in the ocean. No scratch that. It's been almost more of a primal urge churning in my head as though the ocean was calling me back here.
Sitting on the beach with Alex we had a really nice talk about the beach, and how swimming in the ocean was a cleansing experience. A spiritual experience. I thought about when I was a little kid and how much I loved going to my extended family's summer house in South Kingstown, RI. Running up and down the shore and jumping in and out of the waves. But, as a teenager my viewpoint changed, and I remember hating the beach. I hated the fact that sand would get into everything. It wasn't until I was in my early-mid twenties that I rediscovered my love of the ocean. Upon this rekindling I have found deeper appreciation, inspiration, and gratitude for the grains of sand against my feet; the movement of the waves; the sun against my skin and disappearing behind the clouds; the pure experience of being at the beach.

Revisiting Ho'okipa

Early this afternoon I had my interview over at the Community College of Maui. I think it went well, but I'll keep my fingers crossed to hear back soon about a second round interview. I'm always uncomfortable when it comes to being interviewed. I'm not one to try and "sell myself" to people. I've always had more of a walk softly with a big stick kind of attitude. But, I think its experiences like these that force me to come out of that shell. Whether I get the position or not I'm still happy to have had this opportunity. And, just as I was about to leave for the interview today the box I shipped from home arrived. I was quite excited since this meant that I didn't need to go buy another bottle of sunblock, shaving cream, etc... and that I finally had my bathing suit and back up hard drive.

The other night Jo brought me down to Ho'okipa Beach Park, which is such a beautiful place. I remember coming here when I came to Maui for the first time about a year and half ago. It's hard to tell from these pictures, but the waves were huge, at least 10 feet high. We sat there eating apples watching the surfers ride the waves. If you look closely at the sunset pic you can see little specs on the water towards the bottom right, those are surfers waiting for the right wave.
As I reflected on the previous paragraph I thought about how these surfers might be a reflection of our own lives. How we sometimes wait around for something to happen, like the surfers waiting for a wave. Then when its time  we step up and move all at once, like a surfer paddling with and riding the wave. Everything is a fluid movement. It's not separated into bits or pieces. There's just a fluidity to everything. I found myself wondering do beginnings and endings truly exist? Is life just a fluid movement?