By now you know that “serendipity” is one of my favorite words…and that a great day is one that begins with no alarm clock, a cup of green tea sipped leisurely, followed by a nice long run with my ipod.
I am really enjoying the new “genius” feature on itunes which puts together songs I haven’t listened to in a while. I enjoy music. All kinds of it. It can be so moving and powerful. Today’s compilation was “serendipitous”! I THOUGHT I had selected one of the saved “genius” compilations. By mistake I had pressed songs to play in alpha order begining with “O’s”…what I heard for that hour or so was a wonderful, odd mix! Usually I pick moods or certain tempo music. Today was one surprise after another and ALL “perfect” for various reasons. Right in the middle of my run, I even heard a version of Pachelbel Canon with the sound of ocean waves in the background. It was beautiful fall morning. I almost felt like I was getting my beach fix! Then, as I headed down the last stretch into my neighborhood, “Perfect Day” (Josh Bates) came on. It was a perfect end to a perfect run.
Here are a few of the “P” songs I heard:
Pachelbel Canon
Paradise (Ana Serrano)
Peaches & Cream (John Butler Trio)
Perfect Day (Josh Bates)
And the “O” song I started with? Jason Castro’s version of “Over the Rainbow” with his ukulele.
Happy Saturday. Stay strong.
Last week I took my kids to the island of Maui with a friend and his children. Making that trip is something I have wanted to do for several years now. I wanted to share the underwater world—it’s silence, beauty and awe, as well as the view from the top of the volcanic mountains—with my children. The trip was wonderful. I didn’t wear a watch.
Have you noticed the difference in the hurriedness of life in the city vs. the relaxed pace of a beach town? I notice it each time I go to Florida to visit my family. I enjoyed it again in Maui. I believe the beach folks have the right idea. While the beauty of the locale helps to remind them to stop, relax and reflect, I believe we can do the same anywhere…with practice and intention. Life is not meant to be rushed through. We can miss an awful lot if we don’t slow down. And truth be told, it’s much more enjoyable at a balanced pace. What is that saying? “Life is what happens when you are busy making plans.” I’m not saying we don’t need plans, but how about building in time for what’s really important? Time to take care of our bodies. Time for family –true attention to our loved ones. Time for meditation and prayer. Time to take in the beauty around us—even if it’s not in the light green crystal waters of Maui—there IS beauty. We just have to open our eyes, slow down, take in the sounds around us and experience life like a child. With wonder, amazement, and sheer enjoy. Try it! Aloha.
Awe Inspiring….and yes, a little shameless advertising while we were over there!
