Coming Home

Kim and I spent some time walking our land yesterday. It takes us about ten minutes to walk from Jim's cabin to our house site. The trail has gotten a little grown over in the two months since we last visited. Seeing our land is so inspiring. As we looked out from where our house will be, we began to visualize ourselves living there. Kim could see herself coming out onto our deck with a cup of coffee, seeing the tall Norfolk Pines that border our property and the majestic ‘Ohia that surround us. I could see Bodhi running around in a future lawn area with some of his friends. Hawks screeched over head, the breezes blew gently, and the sun shone bright.

Being out on our land was a very soothing balm for us. It had been quite a few days since we had been up at the cabin in general. Most of the Holidays were spent away. Kim actually joked with me that after spending six days on O‘ahu, the Christmas weekend at Karen's in Hilo and the New Year's weekend at Jen and Renato's in Sea View, her toe nails were actually clean. Some of the ruggedness washed away as we got used to hot showers, refrigeration, and lights that go on when you flick a switch on the wall.

Sea View in Kalapana is like la la land. There are quiet streets with friendly children bicycling freely around the neighborhood. Neighbors come around to say "hi" as they walk the streets with cups of espresso steaming in the morning chill. There is a definite cool, artsy, hippie vibe there that we like. At certain points during the weekend Kim and I did silent calculations in our heads to see if we could sell our acreage in Kurtistown and buy a small plot in Sea View where electricity flows into the homes and the streets are paved.

We drove away from the weekend questioning who we are and what we are doing with ourselves. It was going back to understanding how we define ourselves. Would Sea View be a good fit for us? What we realized was that part of the appeal for Sea View is that it is an established and defined community that we could simply move into and have a life. This is in contrast to our raw acreage that sits like a block of clay waiting to be crafted into something wonderful. There have been times recently that Kim and I have just felt so overwhelmed with this perceived mountain that stands before us waiting to be traversed.

Sitting on our land the other day helped to energize and recommit us to our Journey. For all of its charm and beauty, Sea View, was the seductive Sirens beckoning us to stay a while.

The potential of what we can do with our acreage is what keeps us rooted to where we are. Imagine with me a beautiful green ‘ohia forest with organic farming, chickens and goats, housing units for WOOFERS (Workers on Organic Farms), a meditation center, and room for Bodhi to run free. It's all there for us. The question is how committed can Kim and I be to defining our own lives.

Carl Jung once wrote, "Your vision will become clear when you can look into your heart. Who looks outside dreams; who looks inside awakes." When we look into our hearts and allay all fear we know we need to be out on the land.

Over the Holidays, we got to see "Polar Express" on video at Karen's. At the tail end of the movie the train conductor had this message for the young protagonist, "One thing about trains: It doesn't matter where they're going. What matters is deciding to get on."

All Aboard! The 2010 Express is heading out and life is happening on it! Dr. Howard Thurman has this helpful advice, "Don't worry about what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

Blessings and Aliveness for 2010.