Tranquility

"Tranquility" carved by USA/Thailand, World Ice Art Championship, Fairbanks, Alaska in 2009

According to Merriam-Webster, tranquility is-- 1. a) free from agitation of mind or spirit, b) free from disturbance or turmoil;  2) unvarying in aspect.   According to a team of ice sculptors from USA/Thailand, tranquility looks like this sculpture.

Amidst all that swirls around in my head, heart and soul and the world around me I manage at times to find tranquility.  Now and again it floats above my conscious thoughts like a feather on a summer breeze, drifting just out of reach.  More often than not, however, it's nowhere to be seen.  Lost in the daily routine of work, errands, chores and the general hubbub of life.  I tell myself tranquility is out there.  Peacefully, quietly calling me.  I have to or else lose my sanity to the chaos of my thoughts.

I center back toward what is known to calm and comfort me.  During an Alaska winter, it's gazing at the stars with the occasional benefit of Northern Lights dancing amongst them like a velvet curtain swirling on a silent stage.  It's listening to the quiet breeze rustling through the tree tops, feeling the cold air brush against my face and taking in breaths of crisp clean air.  It's in these moments I can allow myself to relax.  Focus inward to touch what's ailing my spirit and coax it out into the open.  Where I can see without doubts.  I can feel without fear.  I can hold true what my soul tells me.  A couple days ago I wrote about passion.  Passion tells me spirits connect in this world for reasons known to no one and those reasons are rooted in goodness.   Tonight, tranquility whispers softly that these spirits are destined in some way to connect again and I'm at peace once more.

Passion

“Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say, and say it hot.” -D.H. Lawrence

A friend of mine had the above quote on her site, thought I'd share it here as well.

I believe genuine heartfelt passion is rare, special and priceless.  It comes in all forms.

Never keep a damper on it; never regret expressing it.

Taken @ San Diego Wild Animal Park -- PJ 

Taken @ San Diego Wild Animal Park -- PJ

Sails and whales

Took a drive out to Ho'okipa Beach, Maui today to see what the surf was like.  The wind was blowing and the surf was up.  A local resident said typically conditions are either right for surfers OR windsurfers but not both at the same time.  Rounding the corner on the highway approaching the beach, it became quickly apparent that conditions were right for windsurfers and even a couple kite-surfers, too.  I figured I'd try my hand at photographing the brightly colored butterfly wings whisking across the surf.

If you look in the background of the photos above, you'll see two Pacific humpback whales breaching!  I noticed a splash as the last picture was taken but thought nothing of it, packed up and went back to the car.  I had no idea the whales were in the pictures till everything was downloaded to my computer.  They aren't perfect pictures by any means but what are the chances of getting such a back drop?  Something seemingly minor like being in the right place at the right time and coming away with unexpected pictures like these has certainly made me smile all day.


(Thank you to my friend Robin for the perfect title for these pictures "Sails and Whales".)