TAG You're IT: My Life is Just a Journey

Tagged by Barb to play this game: My Life is Just a Journey. Sounds like fun - so it goes:

1. If I could live anywhere in the world it would be? Difficult: Toss up between Umbria and Kauai - I think Kauai wins out - beaches much to pretty; people much too friendly

2. Who is your favorite band or singer? This dates me too: Michael McDonald - love his unique voice..and the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan were great bands.

3. If you could be anyone for the day who would it be? Jackie Kennedy Onassis - Although never a big Kennedy fan, she always intrigued me - how she overcame sadness, dealt with the challenges of being a mother and in the social political spotlight, her grace.

4. Concert or a Broadway Show - Broadway by a mile -- I can feel my eyes growing bigger as I watch a broadway show.

5. Do you have theme song for life? This is the toughest question. I love music - many songs have wonderfully inspiring lyrics. I cry (inside) everytime I hear Ave Maria. Keali Reichel's lyrics are mesmirizing, but Lee Ann Womack's, I Hope you Dance...is always present with me.

6. Would you choose a fancy dinner at an expensive restaurant or a picnic in the park? Depends on my mood, but truthfully, I am into comfort these days .. so a great restaurant would be my choice.

7. Favorite place to shop: Any Furla shop would do.

8. Favorite movie: I have to agree with Barb on this one: Something's Gotta Give -- I also LOVED the house!

Now I'll tag four others:

Trekcapri
Girasoli
Annie
Anne

Mahalo for Sunshine

Follow My Bliss Barb lightened the end of my work week with bestowing this lovely ray of sunshine on me. Thank you for this honor. Truly an honor because I am reminded everyday how fortunate I am to be alive in a world of many wonders, and it's comforting to pass it on.


It is awarded to bloggers whose positiveness and creativity inspires others in the blog world.

The rules for accepting the award are:
1. Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
2. Pass the award on to 12 bloggers.
3. Link to the nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

And my nominees are.............

1. Denise Desimone @ http://www.denisedesimone.com/bio.html
2. Let Us Go Then, You and I @ http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/andasamo/
3. Girasoli @ http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/girasoli/
4. Eden's Wanderings @ http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/eden/
5. Trekcapri @ http://trekcapri.blogspot.com/ (on haitus)
6. Earthangel4peace @ http://earthangel4peace.blogspot.com/2009/05/healing-energies-of-completion.html
7. Kahalai Kitchen @ http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/
8. Spirit on Water @ http://jakigood.blogspot.com/
9. Thou Shalt Live a Creative Life @ http://creativesustenance.blogspot.com/
10.Cream Puffs in Venice @ http://www.creampuffsinvenice.ca/
11.Letizia @ http://madonnadelpiatto.com/2009/01/16/zuppa-di-lenticchie-e-farro/
12.A Tale of Two Cities @ http://debikirksey.blogspot.com/

He's Still the One

Follow My Bliss at http://followbarbsbliss.blogspot.com/ inspired me to write this tonight as Ty and I celebrate our first Valentine's Day together in over 30 years. (Yup, not a typo.)

We met in our early 20s – wanderlust for me. I ended up on Oahu after travelling cross-country with a friend and met up with other friends living in Kaneohe. Ty is Hawaiian, living all his life on Oahu. Ty and I worked for the same tour company in Hawaii. To say we didn't hit it off initially would be underemphasizing our initial disdain for each other. Yet somehow things changed, and we began dating each other off and on for about a year.

A trip home to Boston for my packing to move permanently to Hawaii proved the test of our relationship. My dad's stroke, Ty's resulting visit to Boston, the differences in the pace of our lives, attitude, and cultural habits were amplified by our immaturity. It was disastrous for our relationship. With little discussion resulting with no commitments made, our relationship just laid in limbo. Ty returned to Hawaii and I stayed in Boston. Except for one phone call to say 'goodbye' did we not speak again.

Fast forward almost 30 years later with a fax I sent him to ask his assistance in recommendations for my sister's travel - of course with a brief intro ‘hi-how’s life been for you over the past 20 something years’ - really with no other motive behind the request just to inquire how life was going for him. Four months later I received an email from him.

For over a year we re-connected via email and got to know each other again about our disparate lives. I had married and divorced, had two children and pretty much stayed in the New England area. He continued working in the tourism business, never married nor had children. It was apparent that each of us was in a ‘good’ place in time to become reacquainted. And so it goes. After many emails and frequent flyer miles to Hawaii and Boston, our home is now in Boston together.

Something to be said about a mature love. It’s the right time, the right place. Happy Valentine's Day!