Just Another Day in Paradise...

It's 5:30 AM and I am sitting on a home made rock bench in my garden. I often sit here with the hopes of slowing time down. But, time stands still for no one...

The first sign of dawn spreading it's wings approaches in a hurry and it's going to be another glorious day in "The Country." I am here in the garden with a flashlight in hand for the purpose of putting a temporary halt to the damage caused by slugs, cockroaches and millipedes. This is 2 hours of my day, everyday-- an hour in the early morning, and another hour before I go to bed. I will never win this war, but I can win a battle or two every now and again. And although this is a huge pain in the butt, I will never resort to the conventional method of pest eradication using chemicals. You are what you eat, and by eating mostly from my garden since I was 18, I am hoping to avoid the carcinogens that are in just about everything we eat and breathe.

The surf will be good today. The waves are crashing on the beautiful reef in front of my house and I know that it's double overhead plus. The palm fronds are silent and that means we are in a light and variable wind condition. I will surf Gas Chambers as soon as I get finished here. I must work rapidly now so I can avoid the early morning surf crowd but I am still glued to the rock bench. Why do I continue to sit? As I approached the garden I witnessed an incredible moon setting over the Pacific. I was once again reminded of how lucky I am to live in Hawaii. The North Shore of Oahu has been surfings "Mecca" for more than 50 years, and I live right smack in the middle of the 7 Mile Miracle. This stretch of beaches is home to more than 20 surf breaks that can attain "world class" status when swell size, swell direction, tide and wind all come together. And I know from experience that this is going to be one of those days. But still I sit and ponder and thank God for my good fortune. And I thank God for my good health. As I grow older I know that someday I will not be able to compete with the "kids" in the water and I know that someday my body will begin to crackle and ache and I know that my time on this planet will end all too soon. And because of this, I sit and breathe deeply the perfect unspoiled Hawaiian air and I do slow time down if only for a minute of two...