Monthly Archives: March 2012

The Rocking Chair

“Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” ~ William Wallace

Someday, God willing, I’ll grow old.

I wonder what I’ll remember most… What will be something(s) I accomplished that I’ll be proud of? What kind of lasting impact was made on others as a result of my mere existence?

When I retire, sitting in this rocking chair looking out at the beauty of the world, will my reflections of the life passed leave a smile on my face? Will my time on this planet have been lived to its fullest? Will I have loved life (because, after all, what else is there)?

For consideration: http://www.inspirationandchai.com/Regrets-of-the-Dying.html

These rocking chairs are a reminder that life is but a fleeting moment in time. It is worth turning off the TV and the computer and doing something worth remembering.

Go forth and live today with tomorrow in mind.

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Moon is Upside Down!

Today the sun crosses the celestial equator meaning IT’S THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING! At least in Chicago this is the case.  For my friends south of the equator, today is the first day of fall. While I get excited for the upcoming days of flowers and sunshine, those in Argentina are getting ready for days that are just a bit shorter and have that crisp air that only seems to come in autumn. I have suffered through another Chicago winter and typically spring is my favorite time of year, but for some reason today I am thinking about my time in Argentina and one particularly fantastic and bewildering thing I saw while there.

When I traveled to Buenos Aires during their summer, one of the most astonishing things I saw was up in the sky. My husband and I were at the Velez Sarsfield stadium watching an Argentine football match between Velez and Caracas. He was chatting it up with our friend, Pablo, and I was staring up at the sky in amazement. I expected to see stars I had never seen, but I never knew that, when in the Southern Hemisphere, the moon appears to be upside down.

I had more fun at this soccer game watching the sky and the people around me than actually watching the match (typical for an American?). Endlessly curious as I am, I pulled out a piece of paper to work this out. To this day, I am certain my husband doesn’t understand why this fascinated me so much.

A rough drawing explaining why the moon appears to be upside down - simply viewing the sky from different angles.

View of the moon from the Northern Hemisphere

Here was my conclusion: when you travel from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere, you are technically standing upside down from those in your originating city. This is why the Man in the Moon I had gazed at so many times before didn’t seem to be there.

A view of the moon from the southern hemisphere

The moon also appears to MOVE differently. In the North, all heavenly bodies move from left to right across the sky, however in the Southern Hemisphere, just the opposite is true. With the Argentine perspective, the moon, sun and stars travel from right to left. Even the shadow of a sundial will move counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere (opposite of that in the North).

This unexpected new view of the heavens above was a highlight of my time in Argentina. Whenever and wherever you travel, look up. You never know what you might discover.

“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.”

- Vincent van Gogh

Life’s a beach, I’m just playing in the sand.

Imagine a place where everyone seems to be smiling and at total peace. Where the sun hugs you with every perfect warm breeze, and the stars shine brilliant in the night sky. This place has beguiling gardens, beaches, mountains and hundreds of waterfalls. The smell of spring lingers in the air all year-long, thanks to the millions of plumerias adding color to the already lush garden landscape.

I don't have a picture of the plumeria, however, the hibiscus can be found almost everywhere on the windward side of Maui. The yellow hibiscus, maʻo hau hele, which is native to the islands became the state flower in the '80s. In Hawaiian tradition the hibiscus is a symbol for the old royalty and is a flower that brings, besides great beauty, great power and respect.

I speak of a paradise that will forever be calling me to come back to it.

Mark Twain once said “I went to Maui to stay a week and remained five. I never spent so pleasant a month before, or bade any place goodbye so regretfully. I have not once thought of business, or care or human toil or trouble or sorrow or weariness, and the memory of it will remain with me always.”

Mr. Twain and I have that in common

Maui is a fairly small island, both in size and population (with roughly 160,000 it has fewer people living there than in Lincoln Nebraska), with an over-abundance of things to see and do. It is just the perfect place to visit, a true paradise found at every turn – I fell in love. As one might expect, Maui is surrounded by all kinds of beaches…and I’m just a big kid who never lost her love for the beach.

Hamoa Beach is easily one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

While I no longer build sandcastles, I still love being knocked over by a big wave. I still get lost when looking out at the endless horizon of the ocean. I’m soothed by the musical rhythm created when waves roll up against the shore.  I feel renewed on the beach as if its nature’s great tranquility spa. When I float off into serenity with the water holding me gently in its grasp, I can only imagine possible ways to be here forever. I still fantasize about living under the water, yes, like Ariel. When you’re in paradise, almost anything seems possible…

Had God created anything better than Maui, he certainly would have kept it for himself. The Hawaiian locals say “Maui no ka oi”, Maui is the best. I wholeheartedly agree…you don’t have to die to go to heaven.

Hamoa Beach is a half-moon-shaped, gray-sand beach (made from a mix of coral and lava) which sits below 30-foot, black-lava sea cliffs.