This has been a radical year

This has been a radical year for me. I seriously can’t believe what has transpired. But then it is actually a personal thing and how is this even remotely of interest to you .Well, if you’re a friend and have enjoyed any contribution on my part to your life, then maybe. I don’t know how it could be any more significant than that. But then also, sometimes we learn things from complete strangers.

You know it’s funny, those that have learned valuable knowledge tend to be reluctant in sharing it. It could be because they see the acquisition in terms of the process itself which can never be discounted. It reminds me of the number of instant millionaires and how they totally squandered it and ended up in more debt than they were to begin with. Knowledge is like that.

The thing that occurred and brought completeness to my life was not money but understanding what I wanted and living it. Here I am.

Butch Rovansek, my high school surfing buddy reminded me of it. He said, ‘We used to all talk about never growing up and just living on the beach and surfing for the rest of our lives. You’re the only one who has done it.’

Wow! So I am a beach bum!

I want to paint. I want to write stories and I want to surf. So, this is my life. I wake in the morning and make coffee, wash my face and pour cream into my cup so that I can pour the strongest first part of the brewing coffee into my cup. I go ‘on line’ and browse around –e-mail, facebook, nytimes- the columnist, the cartoons and somewhere something will spark an idea of a story. But in the background of all of this is the sound of waves washing in on the beach about 200 feet away and this may alter my morning pattern completely.

But if it has, I can pretty much scrap the second part of my love of life which is painting in water colors and I will do this after breakfast because I have learned that when I start painting it is a total absorption and I literally can suddenly realize that I need to turn on the lights and why am I starving?

And all of this occurs now because of Natalia and living with her and enjoying her relentless encouragement to write, to paint and to go surfing with her. And besides, a year ago I was living in the Bay area of SF and the water was freezing, we had to drive 45 minutes to an hour to get to the beach, which we did twice a week and then back again in some of the most congested traffic you can imagine.

Now all I hear are the waves, our neighbors cockatiel and the gentle flutter of the palm fronds in the trade winds. I can tell by the sound of the waves exactly what my day is going to be like as I open my eyes each morning.

I wish each of you a Merry Christmas who is of the Christian faith. I wish each of you who are of all the other wonderful religions Peace and Happiness, contentment and each of you a wonderful fulfilling happy New Year!