when paddling, i remember our steerswoman would remind us in the split second between change-overs (paddling on one side then changing over to the other side) to "Check yourself!".  what this meant was check your positioning, think about your technique, and maybe most importantly check your mind.  are you wandering off somewhere?  or are u still present in the moment, realizing each stroke you took contributed to the team's effforts in helping the canoe glide and catch the surf of the open ocean.

even tho nowadays i'm not paddling...i still use what i've learned through this ocean sport in my life.  i've changed-over to summer mode: no longer in the constant state of juggling tremendous amounts of academic responsibility and eased into a more steady, manageable state of mind- life outside of nursing school.  I can breathe again, sleep again, eat right again, do things that make me feel good again, like working out, training for an event, etc.  times like this i wonder how did i ever get so far off track with myself.  ever since high school i've kept myself busy with things like weight training, running track, anything.  then nursing school came and sucked the life out of me. 

whatever the reason may be, the one thing i can say is that i'm glad i've come back to this point of checking myself again, adjusting..and then living again.  i'm looking forward to finishing my last year of nursing school.  afterward i'll be moving to seattle to be with my husband, yet another change-over. 

LEGS!

strong legs.

stay with me.   

we've come so far.  

now time to do it once more.  

in unison with the heart and mind,  

sweet run 2006.    

i'm driving down kapahulu avenue tonight and there's quite a bit of traffic.  i'm sitting behind an suv thinking: this is just like the ocean when it's flat...just gotta sit there and wait till the next wave of motion comes.