August 23

August 23,2007 Thursday happiness!!

Delivering Onawa Home to Newport! On the sea.

It is remarkable to me that even amidst the nearly deafening roar of the diesel engine, the sickening smell of the fumes creeping even below as we motor downwind, I am mentally freed rolling to and fro, far from human energy.  Well, far enough, I guess.  Barry is content driving the 'ole girl'under power, a task I tolerate only as a necessity.  I am tucked below out of the worst of the fumes. Once the early morning dampness burns off a bit more, hopefully I can at least hang on the foredeck.. ONawa has such a vast foredeck compared to Inspired Insanity that I can truly be at leisure up there and out of fumes way.

What amazes me is how quickly my thoughts become freed up to consider, ingest, digest life's stimuli once offshore a bit.  A few days ago I was pleasantly surprised when some treasured books that had been misplaced since NZ revealed their hiding in the front pocket of my classical Fender guitar case.  Memory returned. I had leant Chris Bone the books to read during a delivery he had in the pacific and when I went to visit the farm he returned them. I tucked the books away in the guitar case of the guitar I had brought with me to accompany evenings. A true smile reached across my face as a realization of the importance of their re-enterance into my life came to me. Lo and behold, it was Andrew De Mello's "The way of Love" that I opened as I lay here in the rumble and sway. The book was out because I had offered it to Willem, the mate of ONawa, a very bright, open minded young man with tremendous potential. It had been a gift to me from Ron Holland in Ireland. I have given it away and bought new copies many times.
 Happiness. What is it? How do we get it? Or do we have it already? What prevents the experience of happiness or the ability to live life in a happy state? The mind... Where do our thoughts and ideas originate? OUr they our own or those of others? Truth? Do the ideas programmed into our internal computers allow us to experience happiness? What are we programmed to think? What is the purpose of the programming?  Questions....Simple truth.. The basics... STart from the beginning.  all are created valuable, useful, powerful, gifted, needed, loving and loveable....able to fullfill the potential within if the purpose of life is to do so... Or we become puppets of an entity that has chosen for us what purpose we should have and then programmed our beliefs to accomplish their purpose with our life... Happiness..Beauty..love, loving and being loved. Appreciation, Gratitude.. experiencing the energy of life, connectedness, belonging, perfection, integration with health, the development of our potential, our skills, strength, investing and accomplishing, maturing, excellence, prosperity of life and process, knowing and coming to know, enlightenment, joy. pleasure.  Energy!! flowing energy. Intoxicating energy.  Light. Peace, Oneness, celebration. Giving of all we are to the benefit of all we (collectively) are. To increase the energy flow for all to be increased in health and ability.. All these considerations are the basis for Youth4Oceans and For the LOve of Oceans grassroots advocacy critical thinking projects.

My first reading of the book "The WAy to Love" occured sailing south along the west coast of Africa after leaving Ireland and was a beginning in my process to living in a happy state.  AS I read it again now it is opening my eyes in my present to see how far from happiness I exist at times, but also how happiness has become the basis of my true self.. I am happy. Yes.. Integrating my happy self with this world is a challenge.  I lose my experience as I try to help others experience happiness.  My methods of helping others and forging a landbased life are falling short of maintaining my principles of happiness.  I can best help others by maintaining my own personal state of happiness..(p.6 The Way of Love) The world is pressing me every moment to join into its' programming of living in fear, anxiety, worry, tension, insecurity... I am being pressed.. It is stealing my presence in happiness.  My mind is cluttered with noise.  a million needs and sadnesses, struggles, pains, abuses, discouragments...yet others happy.. yes, many are happy. How do I keep my center in Happiness? By exercising my thoughts in happiness in personal times alone with nature and peaceful input. By examining my thoughts and feelings for their origin and then considering those thoughts in relation to the basic truths of happiness.  Why am I feeling insecure, afraid, sad, anxious, tense?  I can accept those feelings as revealing my state inwardly and then draw near to my own essence, then make decisions about what is true and make changes in my world or invest in issues to be reconsidered...going fromt he premise of knowing that I am valuable, able, caring, loving, desiring the most beneficial outcome for my self and others around me.. no guilt.  I can let go of shame from decisions that may have produced undesirable outcomes and learn from them.  I can accept my humanness but not walk away from the process of growing and coming to know. Choice... I can stop the whirling energy of emotions that are undefined and driving my responses.. Consider..

I strongly recommend this little book to all.. I am looking forward to this reread and many more..More time on the sea.  I am ready to start the refit on Inspired Insanity.. choices.

Upon arriving in Newport, I look forward to meeting up with new friends from Maryland, members of the paralympic sailing team I met there as well as continue to be involved with conservation projects moving forward. Days are full, but even more the reason to spend time centering... in happiness..

biggest hugs to all... Thanks so much Neil V and Light for getting the log update page back up and running...Do keep eyes also on the other websites, www.donna.pnn.com, www.youth4oceans.pnn.com, www.fortheloveofoceans.pnn.com.  The www.donnalange.org site will also start to become a collective focal point for all the various projects I am involved with including charitable works and a blog format for keeping better in touch with you all.

big hugs xoxoxoxo d

"Keepin On, Keepin On, Keepin On Caring.... to keep life centered in happiness, not straying into trends of insecurity, fear, tensions, anxiety, worry"