BALANCE

Yellowstone Falls

I am back! Don’t ever count me out! This is a blog that I wrote over a year ago but never posted. Thought I would post so we could reconnect. Hope you like it.

Centering myself after the past year has been a meaningful goal of mine. Nothing like the “Wild Wild West” to bring you back to center. Hope everyone can find their “grounding” place like I have in Yellowstone National Park. This was my first time to experience this majestic park teaming with life and geysers. How does one place contain so much variety? Geysers steaming with hot gases and overflowing with rich minerals while right next to glacier cold rushing streams and rivers. After observing the greater part of a week, the iconic “Old Faithful” , Prismatic Pools, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Indian Creek Campground, and the famed Lamar Valley, I am more in love with nature than ever before. With the almost complete absence of cell service, it was the total immersion into the natural world so needed after the past year. Lacking the subtle humor of nature, we detach from the nature of living in balance. I don’t see us as any different from the wildlife in Yellowstone. I am still thinking about the full impact this place has had on me. How do you come home unchanged? Coming home is pleasant but somewhat empty compared to the fullness of nature.

Watching the masculine bison walk along the road next to our truck and have one saunter next to me while sitting next to a stream after a hike was invigorating. Hearing the geysers bubble over, the wind sing a song of serenity thru the trees at the campground, seeing wildlife with no fences to separate us or to keep them imprisoned ,was refreshing to the soul. All I want is to capture the feeling of being in such a place of wild and free existence. I hope this place continues to remain this way, like it was meant to be. Each day with its series of eruptions and life cycles in the Lamar Valley, we must not disturb the balance of what is self sufficient.

I am sure there are many things that nurture the soul but nature has to be at the top.

Light with out pollution and noise with out alarms, is a glimpse of what life is supposed to look and feel like. Certainly a step back away from the barrage of media and propaganda that has so much influenced our thinking. The bears do not care if you are driving a Porshe or a Toyota. They may prefer a Tesla, considering its lack of carbon footprint and its lack of noise disturbance.

In the future, if you are looking for me, I just may be in the mountains. I am sure if we all immerse ourselves into nature a little we will all see our lives more balanced because of it. “Peace is the river of the soul”, and there is no lack of peace in nature.

Yellowstone I must see you again, my friend, only to look and admire you once again.

Your mate,

Isaac

Beartooth Pass

UNREST OF THE SOUL

Salt Creek Beach Bridge 

So many of us are bleeding from the soul.  Justice seems to be seeking its weight in lives.  Protests have erupted around the US and even abroad.  Wisdom sees this as a call for help and a call for action.  Love is the only solution to racism.  Whether you are black, brown, or white, you see the injustice.  Whether you want to admit it or not, we have all seen people judged by their skin color.  If we want this to end we must see one another as equal, as God sees us.  (Acts 10:28,29)  We must come from a place of love, as “love never fails”.  (1 Cor. 13:8)

Personally, I have experienced judgement in my life that has hurt me to the core.  I have been accused of being stupid, just by observing my unique levels of sensitivity.  How wrongly I have been judged.  I have been tempted to get back at those who have so wrongly judged me.  But I remind myself, “Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but it has not solved one yet”. (Maya Angelou)

Judgement stems from fear, and hate is the manifestation of fear.  Seeing ourselves as equals is the gateway to wisdom and love.  Everyone has the choice whether to follow or rise up and rule their minds and hearts with superior wisdom.  Let’s experience the beauty of demonstrating love when efforts replace our value with expressions of judgment.

All hope is lost when doubt is cast upon the soul who knows not his value.  Do not let the character assassinations of prejudice block the vision of who you are.  We are all created equal, it is what we do with what we were created with, that makes us who we are.  How we man or woman up to our challenges is what determines what we will be.  As Mahatma Ghandi said, “No one can hurt me without my permission”.  Eleanor Roosevelt made it even clearer when she stated, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”.  Be the person you want to be without any barriers or obstacles.  We must release the judgement of the world around us and find our own ally from within.  Everyone of us can emerge out of this crisis stronger and more confident of who we are.  But we must not allow others to dictate who we can be.  Love will conquer all.  Love must conquer judgment, as anything else will only breed more evil.  Against the grain we are trekking through the fear and pain, seeing the true reflection of ourselves of whom we were created to be.

Your soul searching friend,

Isaac Dzama

 

 

 

HOPELESSNESS

 

Hope is the foundation for endurance.  During trying times of Covid, we are challenged to keep our hope alive.  How does a person remain hopeful when the world appears to be hopeless?  Hope is based on faith, so strengthening our faith is essential.  When in crisis mode our faith can be challenged.

Faith that the world will be better is the only faith that will help right now.  Faith that the world will just get worse will only heighten our anxiety that we are currently plagued with.  Most of us believe in a higher power and it is essential that we put trust in that higher power right now.  Without this trust we are destined to have debilitating fear and morbid thoughts of our future.  To contrast this thinking with the Bible’s promise of a time when “no one will say, ‘I am sick’ “. (Isaiah 33:24), is mind shifting.  Let’s not allow ourselves to get out of love and gratitude during a time of crisis.  These two values will help us navigate the stormy conditions of this present world.  Going to sea without a good anchor is like navigating to utter shipwreck in a storm.  We can be tossed around and possibly destroyed.  Faith is like an anchor.  It grounds us to the safest place we can be in a storm. I am not an experienced mariner but I know that every boat or ship that goes out to sea has an anchor.  So why would we endeavor to navigate this pandemic without a secure anchor of faith?  It is vital.

But how do we build our faith?  We can talk about that next time.

 

Your friend,

Isaac

 

 

BEAUTY

 

Seeing the world’s beauty is somewhat of a challenge when told it is unsafe to go out of your home.  My challenge is seeing the good and not focusing on the restrictions.  All the things I love, going to the beach, swimming in the pool, making myself numb in the cold Pacific Ocean, are all things that are restricted right now in my area.   My mission is to try to focus on the good and the strengths that are manufactured in times of stress.

Some of us are in our heads thinking, we are the next victims.    This pandemic is a perfect opportunity to show the world what we are inside.  And if we do not like the way that looks, then we have the time to change it and to show the world what we want to be. Under stress, beautiful creations emerge as well as cracks can be revealed.   Rainwater running over rocks may form cracks or crevices over time.  Crevices can change into channels that disperse  rainwater into a magnificent waterfall.   What once might have been  considered a flaw or weakness in the rock is now morphed into a magnificent partnership by the shifting stance of the rock, and the bountiful flow of the rainwater.

My thoughts are that we can channel anything we are given into something beautiful.  Mountains are not made overnight but aren’t they amazing to look at today?  Not all good can be seen immediately.  We may only see the stress that is taking its toll on us now.  So be patient.  Remember that you are a work in progress.  We will be happy to see the better us when this is all over.  So let’s try to be a beacon for change no matter what the circumstance.  Some of us may feel cracked and ready to break.  But the truth is we are just experiencing adaptation to the ever changing environment around us.    Yes stress demands change, but that change can be a beautiful transformation.  So we move thru the next crisis with the intention of more change and more beauty as the result.  Don’t you see, “Life is like a box of chocolates” after all.  You never know what you are going to face.

Hope allows us to keep our spirits up.  Look for my next blog……”Hope When Feeling Hopeless”.

 

Your friend and writer,

 

Isaac

 

 

 

 

You Rock

I am writing again!  Will you be as excited as me to see another post? I hope so!  I have recently moved back into my house after an extensive remodel.  I have my own room now and I love it!  I have been strongly encouraged to type another blog, so here I am.  I can say that change isn’t a walk in the park, which I do love by the way.  It requires patience and trust and faith that all will work out.  I frequently rely on others, so to trust that things always work out the way I want, is a stretch to say the least.  I recently was at my therapist, Margaret’s office, and she had the most beautifully painted rock sitting on a table next to me.  I, of course, had to hold it.

Rocks are so fascinating to me, they are full of life yet don’t say a word.  Only time knows its story.  I would love to be able to hold a rock and visually see its life reeling before my eyes.  Not all of us speak our story.  We are like rocks in a sense.  You need to hold people close to you to feel who they are. I would love to be held the way I cherish a rock.  I prefer the smooth dark rocks as they feel warm and gentle.  Every rock is unique in its shape, color, composition, and nature.  Will we find that our preferences in rocks are reflective of the people we love or the people we are?  I think you may find you admire the beautiful diamonds and rubies for their reflective properties.  But for comfort,  you would choose the smooth honed stone that is shaped by nature.

In the Japanese culture,  they revere purposeful shapes of rocks from nature as fine works of art.  How interesting I would find this curation process, as I love rocks of nature’s artistry immensely.  I am curious, if we were rocks what would we look like?   I think rocks are gifts to remind us of who we are and where we come from.  We may find that pressure has made us diamonds and each one of our struggles have shaped us into a unique piece of art that is admired by others.  Each time we look in the mirror, let’s admire the edges and our shape and celebrate our beauty and uniqueness with a smile and not judgement.

Until next time, keep experiencing life as a rock would, with patience and the inspiration of the world around you.

Your friend and avid rock collector,

Isaac

GRADUATION!

 I am now officially a High School graduate.  I don’t feel much different, but I am different.  How?  I don’t have to spend all those ridiculous hours in school anymore.  So I have a diploma now.  Does anyone really care?  No one seems to care if you get a diploma but everyone seems to have an opinion if you don’t.  Really a diploma is simply proof that you endured years of gruelling prison of the mind.

Will I become something in this world?  I hope so?  Knowing I accomplished what many questioned I could, is quite rewarding.  I remember the times I didn’t think I would get the thumbs up to graduate and yet here I am.  Many times I ask myself was it worth it?  I guess everything is worth finishing if you started it.  If you finish you at least feel accomplishment .  If you don’t, you just wonder if you should have, and get weighed down with self doubt.  I am sure I already carry enough self doubt I don’t need to add any more.

Getting on the next road is a bit overwhelming but I am so ready for an adventure.  I am so tired of the same old surroundings, same old routine, I could scream.  I might scream anyway, but I scream from excitement not frustration.

Thankfully I am surrounded by individuals who guide and motivate me.  Jehovah is with me, with my family, my team, and my friends, and “I will lack nothing “, (Psalm 23:1).   My life is full.  I am grateful for the dedication of my parents and for the patience and forgiveness of my siblings.  Your belief in me has lifted me when otherwise I would have crumbled at the daunting task of living with this disability.

I thank my dog, Barris for giving me joy and calmness over the past 3 years.

I would also like to thank my Grandparents who continue to encourage me.  I love you.

To Kayleigh, I owe so much to you.  Without your perseverance and belief in me I would have never been able to venture outside of family to help in the Hindi field.  I am starting to believe many things are possible.

I am not sure all of you who comment on my blog understand how much you have meant to me.  All of you encourage me to keep writing even when I am not into it.

Graduation is certainly not the end.  To quote a famous Chinese Proverb, “A journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step”.

Here is to the next step…………

Yahoo!!!   (Pretend I threw my cowboy hat in the air.)

The Graduate,

 

Isaac

Pressure

 

Pressure.  It seems everyone has pressure in their lives today.  Pressure to fit in, pressure to perform, pressure to have friends, everyone seems to have a level of pressure that is almost a breaking force to their joy in life.  But not all pressure is bad.  For example, under intense pressure we see  beautiful diamonds formed. The powerful result of positive peer pressure  can cause us to reach new heights in our lives we may have not been strong enough to do on our own.  Yet under intense pressure we see an entire world of people struggle to meet life’s expectations.  I am sure a certain amount of pressure is good for us, keeping us moving and changing and growing.  Yet some levels of pressure can paralyze our thinking and make us feel like we are failures and want to give up.

What is the difference between positive pressure and negative pressure?  It is often the motive.  Good motives create good results and the opposite occurs with bad motives creating bad results.  A perfect example of this is a bitter attitude towards life. It will only poison our present gift of life and spoil our outlook on each little miracle of the day.  Miracles, you may ask.  What miracles?  The sun coming up every morning, the birds chirping, the gentle breeze, the masterpiece the sun paints every evening for us to enjoy.  Did you see the sun today?  Did you hear the birds?  Are you going to look for the sun’s suprise artwork this evening?  These gifts are ours to remind us of what we have to be thankful for.  It is these things we draw from to relieve the pressure this world bombards us with.

I often wonder what life would be like without this intense pressure weighing down on me everyday.  I would imagine it to be so liberating as if a veil has been removed from our vision.  My concern is how to find the peace of mind to keep this veil off.  I believe we must pay attention to the little miracles that are happening everyday right in front of our eyes.  Fear is what blinds us of what is right in front of us.  How are the miracles in your life affecting you?  Sometimes a simple flutter of a butterfly or a dash of a hummingbird is all it takes to remind me of how fortunate I am to have been able to witness such a miraculous creature in nature.  Will we crumble under pressure or will we soar like the eagles?  I personally prefer the perspective of an eagle.  Fear is the downfall of so many of us.  Why not see life through the eyes of gratitude instead.  The view is much better up here.

 

For now,

Isaac

 

 

FINDING JOSIE

      I hope everyone finds their Josie.  I am so grateful each week I get to see her and ride her.  She is so considerate, gentle, forgiving, and caring.  Some may think it impossible for a horse to be all these things, but she is.  She is beautiful in form and strength.  I am in love with this girl.  She is supportive and patient.  I am talking about my horse,  Josie.  She isn’t really mine but she makes me feel that way .  I am hoping she will always enjoy me as much as I do her.  Why do I love horses so much?  Horses are better than pills in a bottle to calm your heart and soul.   Trying to push myself to be more independent I am.  She motivates me because I see what my life might be like if I was able to care for a horse of my own.  Horses are  motivation in a world of false hope.   They never disappoint.  Prancing high above our fears and worries they carry us thru our pain to a place of being.  Happiness emerges when we feel safe and laughter and joy abound.

Josie wasn’t trained to help people like me but she chose to accept her role in being a gateway to independence.  Will she know how important she has been to me?  I’m sure she understands I love her, but how much, how could she?  It doesn’t effect a moment of her riding to wait for praise or credit.  It is just what she has chosen do.  That is true giving.  I hope we all find a Josie in our life, whether equine, feline, canine, or human.  Perhaps we can be a Josie to someone as well.

A horseman,

Isaac

 

*Special thanks to Sherry at Hoofprints in Orange Park Acres for her amazing equine program.

DEFEATING THE BULLY FROM WITHIN

My story would depress even the strongest optimist.

My story is one of dark sorrow and empty sadness that is hollow.

Poisonous thoughts are what cause pain and depression.

Why does a person continue to choose to drink the glass of poison when a glass of love is just as easy to grab hold of?

I am emerging from the ashes of a troubled past.  Some say it is a miracle while others say,    “It is about time”.

How long must I want to see myself with love?

Depressing thoughts overwhelm me when I am on top of my game.

Feelings of helplessness are my crutches.  Pain is the ringing in my ears.

Each day is an obstacle course I must learn to navigate.

Fear of failure is my mountain to scale.

Promises of a new day keep me hopeful.

Battling with your negative mind is like warring with someone who knows all your weaknesses and shows no mercy.

The Bully that lies within your head is your worst enemy.

“I am nothing”, “I am hopeless”, “I am worthless”, are the bullets I continue to take.

Will I survive such brutality?

Will I be free of the Bully that lives inside of me?

Pray I am free and pray for all to be freed.

Love will always prevail if we choose it over hate.  This choice starts from within.

Good day my fellow warriors.  I am fighting until all negative thoughts perish.

Are you with me?

Love will prevail.  (1 Cor. 13:4-8A)

Love,

Isaac

HELP

Woods Cove Laguna Beach

What is help?  It means assistance of either thought or action.  The first step is recognizing you need assistance.  Then it requires the acceptance of such assistance.  Why is this important?  Without the acceptance or desire for help the game changing support could be right in front of you but never live because you didn’t follow the first two steps mentioned.

All of us need help at times.   I have come to the point where I am gratefully assembling a team of assistants to help reach goals I have placed before myself.  I am thrilled to share my new assistant with all my followers.  Her name is Kayleigh and she is one of the kindest positive people I know.  She will be assisting me with writing assorted deep content for my book.  She will also be helping me with research projects outside of the home.  Kayleigh is excited to join me on my journey and I couldn’t be happier to have such a believer and supporter on my team.  She has mastered a foreign language, spent time abroad and now she embarks on another adventure,  me.  She will not regret it.  I will make sure of that.

 

 

So as for my blogs,  I will continue to blog and post exciting personal stories and experiences, but will be fully focused on writing my book.  It is a biography and, of course, will share life lessons along with humor and excitement for life.

 

Joy is the second fruitage of the spirit listed in the bible of qualities we must cultivate (Galatians 5:22).  I am claiming joy as I embark into the unknown of my future.  Why is joy so vital when journeying  forward?  I am confident I can accomplish my goals, but how will I do it?  I have a choice to embrace the adventure or dread the struggle and work.  Who would you rather hike the Himalayas with, the joyful Isaac or the dreadful Isaac?  We must remember who we worship, the happy God (1 Timothy 1:11).  Sometimes the journey is the important part and not so much the destination.  Why waste time and energy with worry or dread?  We are all capable of much and with help from our Creator we are unshakeable.

Sincerely,

Isaac

Sunset on the Trail