Musing

[written & published at Kameole Sands, Kihei, Maui]

Maui forecast for today: highs around 81 at the shore, gusts up to 30 mph in the morning; birds started chirping at 5:47; everything seems the same every day here

yesterday’s blister forced a golf postponement, Lahaina trip adjourned to Sunday – I just hung around, drove around, went to the beach, ate, hung around … ho-hum, just another stressful day

thanks to those who enjoyed yesterday’s photo of intrepid traveler; today’s is Big Beach (Oneloa Beach) shot looking southward from atop the lava cliff that separates the two beaches (photos frowned upon at Little Beach (Oneuli Beach) - check this link for a great aerial perspective http://www.discoveringhawaii.com/SF_SecretBeaches/SbMAMakena.html)

afternoon wind was really strong yesterday so the body-surfing, for those who do that, was great while spectators enjoyed the show

as I walked early again, tai chi classes for beginners underway at various points along my
route as they are every day, artist Julie from Toronto sitting out in front of the Renaissance Hotel said 'did you see that whale that just jumped?', swore she'd seen seven whales in ten minutes; I chatted with her for fifteen and we did not see one; smooth move Julie . . but married women on the make are not my scene

drink servers, snorkel rental and activity vendors each ready their stalls for another routine day; the housekeeping staff at the hotels make fresh towel mountains while their grounds keeping counterparts snip, clip and sweep as they have each done a thousand days before - these servants who live many families to a house in poverty - serving the rich and the wannabee rich tourists as if it is the most natural thing they will ever do; I don’t think I'd last a day at that without dumping a bucket of ice on someone

walking in the twilight shadows of beach houses, condos and 5-star hotels I wonder what the whales and tortoises must think – looking at this vignette in the timelessness of this place; the development of the last 30 years or so is but a moment in the timelessness of this place

as I watch expressions on faces, it is hard to get a fix on it – but I think people come here to solve problems, as if just being here is not solution enough; there is a walking around look that many people have here that melds enjoyment of surroundings with looking for something they have not found

maybe I am seeing on the faces of others something I am feeling myself; a sense the solution is here to be found, the challenging questions in our lives will miraculously be answered in this special place where rest, creature comforts, soft sand, warm sun and gentle breezes are abundant - but, I think it is more than setting the scene, becauise no scene could be better than this one

as we walkers meander on sand that may have visited many shores, as we watch waves that have traveled all over the world – I think the amazement is enhanced because we are both equals and we are appreciating the timelessness of everything here; all the water on earth has been here all the time; all the sand on earth has been here all the time

the answers we seek in the sand, in the waves, in the beautiful sky are the same fundamental ones we all face all the time; we are all the same, we are all moving through lives so indistinguishable from one another that the wise old whales and tortoises would say 'they are not like us, those people, they all look the same'

we do, we are, we can never not be

we live in different cities, adorn ourselves differently and think we are so individual in our tastes, our interests, our pursuits, our professions and businesses . . but we are as identical as chimps in a cage

why then, if I am right about this, do we struggle so much to be individuals, to be 'our own man' as it were; why is it we need to be close to some, distant from others and to deliberate so long on decisions?

we are all the same

every decision that could ever be made has been made

every problem that could be encountered has been encountered

every potential solution has been tried and reduced to statistics

so why do we struggle then?

we have the best brains of all the species, we have the ability to see the sense in life but so many of us struggle to find sense in it

I know, because I see it on faces every day; I see it at home, I see it here

our relationships with each other must spring from our relationships with ourselves; this must begin with elimination of conflict – with each other and within ourselves

the answers are not here, but the peaceful surroundings in which we can reach inside to pull those answers out . . those surroundings are here; they are announced every morning at 5:47

they are here all day, every day as they have always been

it makes me wonder, before volcanoes rose from the ocean floor to create this paradise, where did people go to have a vacation in paradise?

where did they look for inspiration?

we can only look inside inside where it has always been rather than to outside forces, scenery, advice books; we might do it through the meditative repetition of painting a wall . . or striking a ball . . or walking a beach

it may all be a moment in the timelessness, but for now, I’ll take 4½ hours starting at 10:16 at Makena North . . fore!

aloha

Mark Kolke
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