I have just spent the last 20 days in Hawaii and it was pure, unadulterated fun. The opportunity to hang out with my brothers who do not live in Singapore as well as my mum's siblings who live in Australia and Canada and my Australian cousins was especially extraordinary.
Within this family reunion, I also met up with my college friends in Kauai where we visited chocolate and coffee farms, were awed by the Waimea Canyon, spotted whales at the Hanalei lighthouse and went uke shopping in Kapaa and rum tasting at the Koloa Rum Company.
Back in Honolulu, it was a joy to share with the extended family the beauty of Hawaii with a trek up Diamond Head and stops at all the usual tourist attractions, especially Waikele Premium Outlets... We also got to hang out at the beach, watch some amazing hula and listen to live music every other night.
Within all that time, huge quantities of poke, lomi lomi salmon, kalua pig, laulau and loco moco were consumed, not forgetting multiple mai tais and Longboards. Thank goodness we also did loads of walking.
Besides all that, I found time to visit with friends, and more importantly, to go for daily mass at Saint Augustine's which was a necessary oasis of peace in the midst of all that seeing, doing and experiencing.
Just as I reflected on choices this vacation, I also reflected on fun and happiness. Baby bro seems to think that fun is largely lacking in my life and my lifestyle is devoid of pleasure for I don't seem to do a whole lot of fun stuff. Was he right?
Although I may lead a seemingly boring life for I don't get out much and I don't pub or club, I do enjoy my quiet life. He forgets that being an introvert, I am quite happy to chill out on my own. Having a ball on my own comes quite naturally.
My highs come from the sheer pleasure of being alive and living in the moment, be it teaching, writing or just being the kay poh* perfectionist that I am.
As I get to know, accept and love myself more and more, testing my strengths and weaknesses along the way, I am also able to express myself more fully as the woman I was created to be - and this gives me much satisfaction and intense pleasure.
While I really had a lot of fun on vacation, I am equally happy to be home and look forward to getting back into my routine. For even in the humdrum and mundane activities of life, I am able to capture unexpected yet fun snapshots of moments. And that for me is clear indication that I am most content, quietly buoyant, to be exactly where I am.
Sure, I get frazzled and uptight, but that's just my Martha streak showing (which happened even on vacation). I always want to do everything and be everywhere all at once. And I also want everything to be perfect - for everyone. But there is hope for I am learning to just chill and let the moment flow over me like a cool wave.
The search for authentic happiness is inborn in all of us, therefore we tend to expend a lot of time and energy in pursuit of happiness, sometimes forgetting that things like money, power, fame, good health, acclaim, pleasure and position cannot bring true, lasting happiness.
Instead, the ability to be happy is well within our capability for only human beings can synthesize happiness. We can choose to be happy despite disaster and hardship, or in spite of great wealth and fortune, and vice versa.
That said, there is a distinction between fun and happiness and I remember how in the past I could be engaged in fun activities desperately trying to be happy and not really succeeding, whereas now I am able to derive fun from even boring church meetings for I am happy in my own skin and with my life.
Let the fun continue and happiness unfold as I keep my eyes turned upon the One who made all this possible.
* busybody
Within this family reunion, I also met up with my college friends in Kauai where we visited chocolate and coffee farms, were awed by the Waimea Canyon, spotted whales at the Hanalei lighthouse and went uke shopping in Kapaa and rum tasting at the Koloa Rum Company.
Back in Honolulu, it was a joy to share with the extended family the beauty of Hawaii with a trek up Diamond Head and stops at all the usual tourist attractions, especially Waikele Premium Outlets... We also got to hang out at the beach, watch some amazing hula and listen to live music every other night.
Within all that time, huge quantities of poke, lomi lomi salmon, kalua pig, laulau and loco moco were consumed, not forgetting multiple mai tais and Longboards. Thank goodness we also did loads of walking.
Besides all that, I found time to visit with friends, and more importantly, to go for daily mass at Saint Augustine's which was a necessary oasis of peace in the midst of all that seeing, doing and experiencing.
Just as I reflected on choices this vacation, I also reflected on fun and happiness. Baby bro seems to think that fun is largely lacking in my life and my lifestyle is devoid of pleasure for I don't seem to do a whole lot of fun stuff. Was he right?
Although I may lead a seemingly boring life for I don't get out much and I don't pub or club, I do enjoy my quiet life. He forgets that being an introvert, I am quite happy to chill out on my own. Having a ball on my own comes quite naturally.
My highs come from the sheer pleasure of being alive and living in the moment, be it teaching, writing or just being the kay poh* perfectionist that I am.
As I get to know, accept and love myself more and more, testing my strengths and weaknesses along the way, I am also able to express myself more fully as the woman I was created to be - and this gives me much satisfaction and intense pleasure.
While I really had a lot of fun on vacation, I am equally happy to be home and look forward to getting back into my routine. For even in the humdrum and mundane activities of life, I am able to capture unexpected yet fun snapshots of moments. And that for me is clear indication that I am most content, quietly buoyant, to be exactly where I am.
Sure, I get frazzled and uptight, but that's just my Martha streak showing (which happened even on vacation). I always want to do everything and be everywhere all at once. And I also want everything to be perfect - for everyone. But there is hope for I am learning to just chill and let the moment flow over me like a cool wave.
The search for authentic happiness is inborn in all of us, therefore we tend to expend a lot of time and energy in pursuit of happiness, sometimes forgetting that things like money, power, fame, good health, acclaim, pleasure and position cannot bring true, lasting happiness.
Instead, the ability to be happy is well within our capability for only human beings can synthesize happiness. We can choose to be happy despite disaster and hardship, or in spite of great wealth and fortune, and vice versa.
That said, there is a distinction between fun and happiness and I remember how in the past I could be engaged in fun activities desperately trying to be happy and not really succeeding, whereas now I am able to derive fun from even boring church meetings for I am happy in my own skin and with my life.
Let the fun continue and happiness unfold as I keep my eyes turned upon the One who made all this possible.
* busybody
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