Over the Bridge

A L O H A !

Ala Moana Beach Park, Honolulu

" Difficult times

have helped me to understand

better than before,

how infinitely rich and beautiful
 life is in every way, 

and that so many things 

that one goes worrying about
 are of no importance

whatsoever. "

Isak Dinesen

“He that cannot forgive others,

breaks the bridge

over which he himself must pass 

if he would ever reach heaven;

for everyone

has need to be forgiven”

 

 George Herbert 

“Let every man praise the bridge

that carries him over”

 English Proverb

"The grave is but a covered bridge

Leading from light to light,

through a brief darkness!”

 

 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“ The hardest thing in life 

is to know which bridge to cross

and which to burn. ”

 

 David Russell

" The youth gets together his materials

to build a bridge to the moon,

or, perchance, a palace

or temple on the earth,

and, at length,

the middle-aged man concludes

to build a woodshed with them.  "

Henry David Thoreau

" The biggest emotion

in creation

is the bridge to optimism.  "

Brian May

 > < } } ( ° >

     

So much in our lives

could be viewed as a 

transition from one thing

to another.

We go from mother's milk

to solid food.

We transition from home

to school.

We always seem to be

on our way somewhere

else.

Perhaps that's why we love bridges.

They re cathedrals

of going

from one place

to another.

They represent delivery

and freedom;

" The river is wide

and  I just can't get

over."

Moon Bridges were built

as places of contemplation,

both OF their lovely shapes,

and as places

of View.

This one was built during the 

days of the Depression

as a WPA project

to provide meaningful work

and beauty to Honolulu-

kinda what President Obama

wants to do now

with his jobs bill.

Let's enjoy

a contemplative moment

on our rush from Here

to There.

Glad YOU could stand here 

with me for a few moments.

Thank You.

Here's a spray can-

please leave YOUR graffiti

on the 'Comments Wall.'

                                                                           Warmly, cloudia

BONUS BRIDGE:

George Washington Bridge

by Daryl

The purpose of pain

is to keep the child

from touching the stove
again.

ALOHA !

 

 Manoa, the Valley of the Rainbows,

Home to University of Hawaii.  Got my degree in that dome.

" The world is full of suffering,

it is also full

of overcoming it. "

Helen Keller

 Diamond Head beyond the Ala Wai golf course

" Suffering has been stronger

than all other teaching,

and has taught me to understand . . . 

I have been bent and broken, 

but - I hope - into a better shape. "

Charles Dickens

 

There are still some Hawaiians around!

" The world is a looking glass 

and gives back to every man

the reflection of his own face.  "

William Makepeace Thackeray

 > < } } ( ° >

 

Without pain
life is a game.
(Without contentment
grows resentment.)

But pain is more than that,

WE are more than that.

It is a big part of living
on this Earth,
in these bodies.

Those who feel no pain
are dangerous.

Pain teaches us humility,
courage,
and empathy 
for other creatures.

Without pain we are heedless
hurting others needless.

 Thanks for YOUr Visit!

Comments are cherished

                                                                               Warmly, cloudia

 

Apec Coming!

A L O H A ?

  Revered Hawaiian scholar Paki 

explained the  spiritual meaning

represented by each letter of the word Aloha:

A 

stands for AKAHAI,

meaning kindness, expressed with tenderness


 

L

 is for LOKAHI,
 meaning unity,
expressed with harmony.

O

 is for OLU`OLU,
 meaning agreeable,
 expressed with pleasantness.

H

stands for HA`AHA`A,

 meaning humility,
 expressed with modesty.

A

 stands for AHONUI,
 meaning patient and persevering.

The key to life is to live ALOHA everyday!

" By learning to discover

and value our ordinariness,
 we nurture a friendliness

toward ourselves and the world
 that is the essence

of a healthy soul. "

Thomas Moore

Now THIS is gonna be a challenge!

" Let's just face it:

" Shooting here is far better than in Detroit,

The place is magnificent, 

the locals are great. "

George Clooney

on filming in Hawaii

(sorry Detroit poets/friends)

> < } } ( ° >

I live 

in the most densely populated neighborhood

in the Hawaiian Islands,

which means the largest collection

of humans

for thousands of miles 

of open Pacific.

We are ready to greet visitors

and we do it every day!

When the President holidays 

on Oahu,

in his place of birth

and growing up years,

we feel protective of him

and are mostly philosophical

about the motorcades

and street closings.

Plus, he stays on the 

other side, the Windward.

And his visits to town-side,

like taking the girls to

the zoo,

are not too disruptive.

We even welcome officials

from other nations

and afford them

the same courtesy and

protection.

But on November 7th

through the 13th,

21 heads of state

including our President

will be meeting

ALL around here!

The Hawaii Convention Center

is right across the Ala Wai Canal,

and just under my window.

NO paddling for one week!

Already restrictions are being explained

to us.

 click HERE

There will be closed streets,

closed near-shore waters,

and all boats in the Ala Wai Harbor

will be restricted to their berths.

Residents there

(as we were so recently)

will have security check-points

to enter and leave their neighborhood.

No parking for surfers.

The gasoline station

nearest to me

will be restricted to 

"law enforcement & military."

And there WILL be demonstrations.

Meanwhile, the tourist Mecca of

Waikiki 

with our dozens of hotels

and thousands of residents

will have 

NO deliveries by truck

(an every day thing)

for the duration!

Stock up now

(I will)

It feels a bit like a target

is painted on my

paradise.

On the other hand,

this will be the safest,

most secure island

in the world

for one week.

Perhaps I'll visit the demonstrators.

More later.

And thanks for visiting today!

How would YOU feel

about such a summit

in YOUR neighborhood?

Tell us in comments,

                                          Warmly, cloudia

Camera Eyed

A  L  O  H  A !

Shooting flowers, is like playing 'keep away' with the wind.

It's all about light,
and shadow;

Light reflected, 
direct,
diffused.

Photography is about texture

and choices. . .

If you see it, shoot it!

" There is no camera that can make a picture.

No lens, no lights can make a picture.

Forget about different cameras

and accessories,

just use what you've got.

Only your eyes can make a picture. "

Daryl Fashionista.

HERE

                                                                   
                                                                                  

" The artist's vocation

is to send light 

into the human heart. "

George Sand 

> < } } ( ° >

 
      To take good pictures,

carry your camera

everywhere.

Look at everything.

Really look around.

If something strikes your eye,

SHOOT it!

Crouch, climb on a low wall,

take a step off the path.

If you miss a shot,

don't feel bad.

Celebrate

that you saw it

in the first place!

And when you are ready

exhaling will steady your hand.

Shoot quick 

shoot again.

If captions pop into your head,

use them!

And most of all:

have fun.

Shoot

have fun

shoot some more.

Thanks for visiting!

Leave us your photo tip

in comments. 

                                                           Warmly, cloudia

Simply Allow

People to Speak Without Interruption

A L O H A !

click on the clouds for small revelations

" Shoulder the sky, my lad,
and drink your ale. "

 

A. E. Housman

" Nowadays most men lead lives
of noisy desperation. "

James Thurber

" Now all my teachers are dead
except silence. " 

W.S. Merwin

" Silence

is the true friend

that never betrays. "

Confucius

 " An inability to stay quiet

is one of the most conspicuous failings

of mankind. "

Walter Bagehot

" Silence is a source of great strength. "

Lao Tzu

" Listening is not 

waiting to talk. "

Scott Ginsberg

" Every person in this life

has something to teach me—

and as soon as I accept that,

I open myself to truly listening. "

 Catherine Doucette

" Deep listening, compassionate listening

is not listening with the purpose of analyzing

or even uncovering what has happened in the past.

You listen first of all

in order to give the other person relief,

a chance to speak out,
to feel that someone finally understands him or her.

Deep listening is the kind of listening

that helps us to keep
compassion alive

while the other speaks…

During this time you have in mind only one idea,

one desire: 

to listen

in order to give the other person

the chance to speak out

and suffer less. 

This is your only purpose.

Other things like analyzing,
understanding the past,

can be a by-produce of this work.

But first of all

listen with compassion. "

Thich Nhat Hanh

 

" The most basic of all human needs 

is the need to understand

and be understood.
 The best way to understand people 

is to listen to them. "

Ralph Nichols

" To truly listen

is to risk being changed

forever. "

Sakej Henderson

 

 

" An enemy is a person

whose story we have not heard. "

Gene Knudsen Hoffman

" Wisdom is the reward

you get

for a lifetime of listening

when you’d have preferred to talk. "

Doug Larson

> < } } ( ° >

 

 

 

Thank YOU for visiting today!

Give us the chance to listen

to YOU - leave a comment

                                       Warmly, cloudia

O Bird

A L O H A !

" Walk on a rainbow trail; 

walk on a trail of song, 

and all about you will be beauty.
 There is a way out of every dark mist, 

over a rainbow trail. "

Andra Davis

"I love you like the little bird

That picks up crumbs 

around the door."

Blake

" He who knows best

knows how little he knows. "

Thomas Jefferson 

 > < } } ( ° >

 

 

Thanks for your visit!

                             warmly, cloudia