Happy New Year to all of our readers...Its a new beginning...

Today, there is a high surf warning.

Its almost as if on New Year's Day we have the opportunity to begin anew; to plan, to dream, to make our wishes come true. Yet many promise themselves a new start beginning for a few days or weeks only to falter down the road dismissing the promise as having been unrealistic or frivolous.

The surf, a few minutes ago in front of our house.

And yet, year after year, we make the commitment, hoping magically "this will be the best year yet." I know from experience. I'd done that for most of my life; the diet to lose the last 10 pounds, the renewed commitment to becoming more organized, keeping my closets tidy, doing my taxes without an extension and spending more time doing 'this or that."

Invariably, after a month into the New Year "life" would get in the way, making it easy to blame "it" for my lack of commitment.

More big surf. We move back next door in two days on January 3rd.

Somehow, its different now. The 10 pounds are gone, I am as organized as I care to be, I clean my closets entirely every six weeks to three months, and I've accepted the fact that our new accountant needs us to file an extension (since we're new and old clients come first).

Burgundy tips on the edges of the leaves.

Its not about being "better" at life. Its all about acceptance. This is my life and darn it all, I'm going love it, one way or another. We both choose happiness.

Yes, there are obstacles, sorrows, life events that could easily chip away at that happiness. But, when we choose the life we want to live, we manage to continue to veer down that path we've chosen, not allowing anything to get in our way.

These are huge here.

Its not that the sorrows of life don't have an effect on us. They do. No one with a heart is exempt. But, we both choose to give the attention to that which is heart wrenching and carry on with the knowledge and acceptance that life is short and this moment is the only certainty. It could change in the blink of an eye.

What are small houseplants on the mainland are giant trees and bushes here in Hawaii.

Today, we wish all of our family, friends and readers a New Year of acceptance in that we all love the life we've chosen, finding peace and contentment in this moment and strive to make the next moment as precious as the last.

Happy New Year to all.
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Photo from one year ago today, January 1, 2015:

It was one year ago today that we celebrated with new friends in Marloth Park at Jabula Lodge. For details of that date, please click here..