The Choices we make are Rooted in some kind of Love.

Change Exists if we can..
1) Accept it is needed
2) See a better/possible situation
3) Give/receive suport
4) recognize the Voice within & differ if it’s the ego or the heart.
Change isn’t easy because we are human.  However, we can’t blame the state we’re in for having no progression.  Yes, we are human, but that does not mean it is an excuse.  Being human is  a placeholder, meaning it’s where we are at in life… BUT we are connected to God, an immortal entitiy, that has no barriers or limit.  Never look at God as the source of blame.  Look at yourself in the mirror & question “why is this happening” rather than looking at the sky & asking.
We need to own our choices, that’s where #1 comes in - accept it is needed.  Own your choice & accept change is needed should you feel that way.  Trust that there is better, then do better. Then #2…
None of those situations are easy to go through - it’s all human development.  Seek support from a professional if you find yourself running in circles with your life.  There’s #3…
Receive support, then when capable, give support.  Ultimately, support comes from a loving place.  What is felt, whether it is patience, tolerance, or monetary - the root of it comes from love.  Even supporting a bad habit is rooted in love.  A disconnect happens between an individual’s feeling/understanding of love, and may create a diluted understanding which is therefore communicate outwardly as supporting a bad habit.  Ultimately, we can avoid this by being ONE - meaning having a good grasp on ourselves as far as knowing what our triggers are, how we react to them, just simply knowing ourselves from within. There’s #4…
Know yourself so well that you can hear when something is your ego & when something is your heart.  Your Heart, your Voice, your God within - it is all rooted in Love.  So listen to yourself when making a choice, it comes from a loving place - but first understand what love is in yourself and towards another.
Love can be blind, but you can change that, just see it for yourself.

<3 mahalo ke akua


When I first heard this song, it was playing on the radio & I immediately recognized both voices on the track - the undeniable high pitch kicks of Mariah Carey and the sweet, smooth runs of Miguel.  I must say, the combo is just what the song is titled #beautiful (might I add a derogatory emphasis of fucking before that hashtag).

I’d say it’s a great romance song signifying new relationships or reflecting years after a long relationship.  I watched the video, which had no trace of any.  The twirls and sexual poses on a motorcycle by Mrs.Cannon were not very appealing to me.  I would have loved to see diverse interactions of couples from all types of colors, age groups, and maybe even cute little toddlers playing together. 

What makes the song easy to listen to is the mix of classic rock style guitar chords and the simplicity of vocal play for both artists whom are known to sing amazing ballads that many avid karaoke goers tend to murder in fun drunkenness.  The ending of #beautiful then showcases their individual talent and styles hidden behind a catchy hook of “oh’s and ooh’s”.  The mixing of the track during this section is done well because just the slightest increase in volume on their vocal free-styling would be confusing to focus on for our ears, considering that both artists have powerful voices.

I have replayed the song about three times while writing this piece & I’ll probably replay it even after this piece is pau.  I like the feeling it creates within, picturing sunsets & romantic kisses between my love and I, HAHA, it sounds so mushy and girly of me.  Ultimately though, that is why we all listen to music.  Within our cognitive development, we begin visualizing to the feelings that music invokes, just like reading a novel.  The problem with media, be that videos or movies, is it creates the visual for us.  Prime example is of this #beautiful song - It creates beautiful images in just the listening capacity, but watch the music video enough & you’ll picture an American Idol judge flashing her panties to a dude who may or may not actually know how to operate a motorcycle.

So just a reminder to not just hear, but listen.  Listen > picture > imagine > create.  It’s more than #beautiful… it’s fucking #beautiful.

Source: SoundCloud / Mariah Carey

Reflection

  • Enjoy the moment. Because it is so true that you never know when something will pass, grow, die, leave, breathe, smile your way.  Each moment can be amazing in showing the depth of how far you’ve come.  And see how much more there is to go…
  • Love anyway. It’s easier to just love than it is to be butt hurt about circumstances.  It feels better as well.
  • I am a giant kid. I feel like I was able to recapture much of what I lost from childhood.  It occurred to me as I considered how excited I am over everything and that as adults we only really high-five little kids.  And I’m pro high-five.
  • The strength of the Spirit gives confidence. This one seems like one of those obviously in life we should be confident but just because it is obvious doesn’t mean it’s easy.  I look at 30, my whole life, see how I’ve been through a variety of things and walked away a better man each time and that made me feel good about my perseverance and strength.  I may have fallen alot in my spiritual journey but I never gave up on it.  I was close, I came to grinding halts but I still kept it as a central part of me and in turn I feel rewarded for that.
  • Kids give me much hope. We tend to look around us at the world and get caught up with what’s going on.  I’m not saying to ignore but I look at how amazing so many of these kids are and I can’t help but believe that the world is going to be amazing come the next generation.  I’m still committed to giving as much as I can so that those guys have a solid foundation to build upon.
  • Own your feelings. In the Census, me and Kyle ‘Ice Cole’ Higashi used to say count it when someone signed up for a test.  Well census the psyche and find out who you really are.  Then own it!  It’s all you.

-From TheSimpleVoice.com

Aren’t you somethin’ to admire
Cause your shine is somethin’ like a mirror
And I can’t help but notice
You reflect in this heart of mine
If you ever feel alone and
The glare makes me hard to find
Just know that I’m always
Parallel on the other side

Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul
I can tell you there’s no place we couldn’t go
Just put your hand on the glass
I’m here tryin’ to pull you through
You just gotta be strong

Cause I don’t wanna lose you now
I’m lookin’ right at the other half of me
The vacancy that sat in my heart
Is a space that now you hold
Show me how to fight for now
And I’ll tell you, baby, it was easy
Comin’ back into you once I figured it out
You were right here all along
It’s like you’re my mirror
My mirror staring back at me
I couldn’t get any bigger
With anyone else beside me
And now it’s clear as this promise
That we’re making
Two reflections into one
Cause it’s like you’re my mirror
My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me

Aren’t you somethin’, an original
Cause it doesn’t seem really as simple
And I can’t help but stare, cause
I see truth somewhere in your eyes
I can’t ever change without you
You reflect me, I love that about you
And if I could, I
Would look at us all the time

Yesterday is history
Tomorrow’s a mystery
I can see you lookin’ back at me
Keep your eyes on me
Baby, keep your eyes on me

You are, you are the love of my life

Baby, you’re the inspiration of this precious song
And I just wanna see your face light up since you put me on
So now I say goodbye to the old me, it’s already gone
And I can’t wait wait wait wait wait to get you home
Just to let you know, you are

Girl you’re my reflection, all I see is you
My reflection, in everything I do
You’re my reflection and all I see is you
My reflection, in everything I do

Analyzing Collaboration

Only children.  Itʻs tough growing up, you rely on yourself for a playmate, when parents fight, having to do chores, all of that.  So it stems into adulthood when you try to be in a relationship, a serious one at least… because you lack the experience in collaborating with someone & tend to want to do it all on your own.

Itʻs no excuse to simply want a life of solitude though for how can you speak of sharing love when you are guilty of not opening up to the way someone else shows love?  Is that loving - to only consider the way you love?  I donʻt feel that is collaboration either.  So what are some key things to strong collaboration in a relationship:

1) We already know itʻs communication.  Just because you communicate differently, doesnʻt mean communication doesnʻt exist.  Learn your partnerʻs communication style.  Learn if they like to write, then write to them because it shows you are collaborating the effort.  Learn if they want to talk, then talk to them because you are putting in the effort.  Check in with yourself first though, see if you have gathered your thoughts enough to release them. 
2) Respect.  Know the issues that your partner has with him/herself & think before you react on whether you are disrespecting them by not being sensitive towards that.  Iʻm totally guilty of being unconscious of this, but remember that the relationship should only involve you and your partner.  Therefore, be sensitive towards what theyʻve been through.  Every experience validates their emotions.  Rather than disregarding, help them through it, thatʻs collaborating.
3) Look at the root of things - is it you or them?  Sometimes for me, the root is fear or anger, itʻs true.  However, also recognize that the root of anger could be that you arenʻt being given the same capacity to express as you are allowing your partner to.  Itʻs not always you that should take the hit.  Be sure to maintain equilibrium - take turns speaking, make sure your words arenʻt hindering the other person from saying his/her true feelings too.
4) Remember at the end of things that you LOVE that person.  Love is meant to be shared, not kept within.  Duh, love yourself itʻs so important because itʻs the foundation of understanding what love is.  But once that is felt, share it because it will make you grow.  We as a race canʻt learn if we didnʻt share love for love is all things.  Itʻs the reason thereʻs passion, knowledge, growth, and so forth.

Being raised with an older brother that I consider to be very close with, and having been in multiple bands creating music collectively, I would say I am a team player.  Selfish I am not, for also being known to disburse myself further than needed.  Since that realization, I know what my limits are, but it doesnʻt mean I have shunned myself from collaborating.  I always felt I had to share messages of love, only God knows why, but to give love to others in a healthy fashion means that they must be ready to accept.  If you love someone & that love is great, work through things with them - thatʻs collaboration.  Let that only inner child experience something he/she never has before, itʻll bring him/her great joy to finally have the company that was always wanted.