Catalina

Santa Catalina Island is a unique island off the coast of southern California.  After seeing it from my neighborhood for eight years I finally got to travel by boat to see it.

      Catalina Island is known for its pristine harbor with boats of many shapes and sizes.  I found the harbor to be my favorite place on the island.

We went snorkeling at Lover’s Cove which was enjoyable except when the underwater submarine kept blowing its horn at me as if it owned the cove.

      We did take an open air jeep tour with the Catalina Island Conservancy, which I really enjoyed.

The encounter with the mighty buffalo was certainly  what we wanted to see high up on the mountainside, and the buffalo did not disappoint.  These creatures are quite interesting to see up close with their fuzzy ears and woolly maned heads.

So what do these mighty creatures tell us?   Eco systems are not meant to be disturbed,  as Catalina buffalo are proof of that. I was on the inner interior of the island and could see the struggle the integrated eco system has on native plants and animals.  The eco system is so delicate the slightest interference can completely change the appearance and  the island itself forever.

Catalina Bison

Morning Marine Layer

Bison with protected tree screens.

What are we doing to preserve places that are unique and interesting like Catalina?  I wonder what Laguna Beach water would have looked like and how many different kinds of fish and kelp were there 60 years ago?  Much of what we do to the environment resembles a waterfall.   What we see on the surface is often all that is recognized or valued.  Underneath is an entire world of dependent eco systems.  If we redirected the waterfall it may make new eco systems but leave the old one vanished for good. Can we take that chance with certain habitats?

Humans are similar to eco systems.  Understanding we are delicate creatures of habitats ourselves, we must respect how much we alter ourselves with medications and surgeries. The result of abrupt change, without supporting the other areas of codependency we have neglected to consider, could result in us forever being unbalanced or unsupported.  I know my own self and sometimes I am left under-supported neurologically when my routine or lifestyle is suddenly drastically altered.  Sometimes the changes are not controllable, like the buffalo who refused to be relocated off the island of Catalina after a movie shoot.  What then?   Each scene is one that must be given serious thought as to the interruption of normalcy.  We see the work of the conservancy and are grateful for their work of preserving such a landmark as Catalina.  What conservancy do we attempt for ourselves?  

Seeing us as buffalo roaming a strange place isn’t that far off from how I picture myself.  I can’t expect the whole world to adapt into a new world just for me, but small changes and appreciation for who we are will sweeten the environment for changes that benefit all.   Some of us will remain and some of us will fade away as if their waterfall was redirected and they anticipated no change .  Time has no mercy for those who expect no change. So are you a Catalina bison or sea kelp?  Each is beautiful to look at, but one has been there as long as we know and the other claimed its mark in recent history. Both contribute to the attraction and beauty of Catalina.  Don’t we want to see them both?  Remember with change we grow.

Sincerely,

Isaac

 

ALASKA

Humpback Whale Prince William Sound

I am back!  I am excited to share the most amazing vacation I have ever experienced,  Alaska, the last frontier.  It is true beauty preserved and intrepid.  Even the air seems so dear you think it would cost you to breathe it.  Predators are given freedom and the eco- system takes care of itself with its unique balance that humbles even the jealous souls to think nature is better when left alone.  My favorite part of the trip was the wild life cruise we took out of the small fishing port in Valdez.  Our boat was tagged as the “Lulu Belle”.

Captain Fred was as entertaining as informative and in my opinion a master at what he does.

Captain Fred

Yes he let me drive!!!

I am in awe of such amazing beauty that it is hard for me to choose my favorite experiences but this was definitely the best day of the vacation.  We saw humpback whale, dall porpoise, otter, sea lions, moving icebergs, Columbia Glacier, and the most inspiring mountainous backdrop to observe it all.

Happy 50th Anniversary!

What a great day!!!

Now I know the color ice blue.

Marked sea lions.

We loved the observation deck!

 

Stay tuned for more from Alaska…….

Extremely grateful,

Isaac

 

 

 

 

I HEAR YOU AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN

Me wearing my Bose Noise Canceling Headphones

Kind of interesting how many times I am asked, what  am I listening to in my headphones.  I am not listening to music, or anything piped into my headphones.  It is actually peaceful white noise that simply takes the edge off my poor overstimulated auditory system.  I am  so sound sensitive sometimes a person’s breathing bothers me.  I am so sensitive I don’t pay attention to one conversation but tune into several, as much as eight to ten at a time.  Try juggling that in your brain on any given Sunday.  I am hearing not just the words but also the emotions in the tones of people’s voices. There is so much pain it is hard to carry at times, but I soldier on knowing that I have only the power to hear but not the power to heal.

Just when I get calm something else will distract me and I am in this vicious cycle of overload.  I am wishing for more peace but the world doesn’t seem to hear ME, ironically.  How do I take all this bombardment of information?  I have to be very selective of what my mind dwells on.  Only good comes from good thoughts and bad comes from dwelling on the bad thoughts, whether they are yours or someone else’s.  I am grateful for positive thinkers and family who are always guarding their thoughts and words around me.  Maybe they are listening after all.  Knowing how my brain is presently functioning will hopefully help people understand me and others they see either wearing their noise canceling headphones or archaically plugging their ears with their fingers.  Just speak softly and kindly to us.  We will respond so much better.  You can then see us as we really are inside.

You interpret us by how we behave under such stressful environments yet without the sound chaos we are just like you, except our minds still run at 10 times the speed of most.  Everyone wants to be a genius, yet I’m saying it comes at a price not many of us would willingly  pay.  For those of us who have been gifted, just remember we might return it if we could.

I am so personally excited to share how it feels to be sound sensitive,  I will find your comments most enjoyable.  So please send a comment.

 

Your friend,

Me and my pal, Barris

Isaac

 

LOVE WITHOUT LIMITS

I have been reflecting on what real love means.  I am sure that love is the highest power of the universe.   I love the way it feels when I receive it.  I wonder what the paradise the Bible describes will FEEL like to have love without limits.  I see animals and people often limit themselves in receiving love because of fear.  Remove the fear and you have love without limits.

I am only a small person in this world but I certainly know the feeling of love and am convinced that any problem, big or small, can be remedied with it.  Jealousy can rob us of joy and prevent us from seeing the love that is right in front of us.  Jealousy is the root of so much pain.  I can be jealous sometimes of little kids who are learning to speak out of their mouths with so little effort.  I then start to unfavorably compare my ability to speak with my mouth and joy eludes me.

Knowing the future is bright with much promise and hope will give us the positive gratitude needed to win in the battle of our minds and negative influences.  I am challenging all my readers to list three things they are grateful for and send me their comments.  You will encourage yourself with the positive thoughts and also encourage all who read them.

Personally how do you live without limits?  My “easy going” personality is “ok” sometimes,  but I need more “oomph” to motivate me to accomplish more in a day or a typing session.  How do you take what you need and get rid of what you have too much of?  Undertones of what we need are often reflected in the friends or mates we choose.  I am opposite of so many people so I can choose from a smorgasbord of different strengths in people around me.  Nonetheless, breaking the cycle of old habits can be hard.  I only hope I can find a life with out limits in my own wishes and desires, which form my tomorrow.  In regards to our weaknesses, our minds seem to have little restrictions to the amounts we think about.  But somehow the thoughts of a life without limits seems impossible or even naive.  How deceiving this world has jaded our hopes and dreams.

In this world small changes can often have gigantic results.  I remember when I was creeping and crawling everyday to retrain and organize my brain.  The changes in my brain  seemed nonexistent at the time, yet later became evident it was substantial.  I wouldn’t change one meter of that program.  In fact, I have often thought about doing it again to see what results I would get now.    In this world, effort is rewarded by intention.  If intention is pure , then the result is usually positive, even though it may not be evident in the way or time you expected it.  Companies and brains are similar in that it requires management in each department, with our goals managed and met. The real key is to constantly set new levels of goals that push the limits to a place that feels as if you have none.  I would call that a successful operation.  I have had to have a complete restructuring of certain areas of my brain.  Others have had to be replaced with new CEO’s as the previous vision was too limited.  I still need some true internal restructuring in my brain.  People so often only see what is on the outside, so it is up to us to know what needs adjusted and motivated on the inside.  Will peaceful open words leave us motivated to live life without limits in regards to love?  I hope so.  I am trying to remove limits for myself everyday.

I am grateful for the life I have and long for the day when we can live a life without limits.

Love,

Isaac

 

Coming up next………”Why I Wear My Headphones”.

ONE STEP AT A TIME

 

ON THE TRAIL

I recently moved into a new house and I really love it, yet I struggle with getting out of the way of my own success.  Much of my day is spent eagerly looking forward to typing.  I mostly enjoy the process of thoughts flowing smoothly into words that resonate with people.  Only people have the ability to respond to readings such as a blog.  I wish I could blog Barris’ thoughts.  Oh wouldn’t that be touching and humorous at the same time?  What makes us innately so different than animals?  I have wondered this not from an evolutionary standpoint but more from a thinking analytic standpoint.  I openly express my belief in God and a Creator, yet I still ponder these questions.  I am perplexed at this question, mostly because so many of us never take the time to ponder answers to the questions we do not already know the answers to.  I suggest we let nature answer us with its high hum of wisdom.  Open your eyes and ears to what the birds tell you.  I am still in awe of the melody they sing everyday.  Pondering over their purpose of such joy in song, I wonder, am I living as I am supposed to?  I might know how I am living, but how I was meant to live may surprise me.

I would love to travel in space.  I would love to design my own intergalactic transport.  It is possible if our minds can dream it.  Our minds are windows into the future.  What is your future?  I wonder about mine a lot.  I just keep praying for answers and taking one positive step everyday trying to see the future as a safe and purposeful one.  I am confident I get answers to my prayers not just in life but also in my thoughts about my future.  This requires dismissing negative thoughts that seem to be told as reality, yet are only lies and deception.  In my case, it is “you are not smart” or “you don’t get it do you?”.  For others it may be “you are not worthy” or “you are not loved”.  But those are all lies.  We are as successful as we believe we are.  If we believe we are valuable, then we live a life of value.  If we are purposeful, we live a life with purpose?  Reflect on your life now and if you are not satisfied ask yourself , “What do I need to change?”.  It may just be our attitude.  Growing up in a world full of bullies and criticism isn’t always a day at the beach.  Yet, we can just put our minds at the beach when those thoughts or people try to bring our thoughts down.  Understanding our future really helps us stay positive.

I am personally finding great joy and satisfaction from writing about things I am passionate about.  What are your passions?  I enter a new field when I hear beautful music by Mozart or great composers like him.  Sweet streams of water also make my mind stream away from painful sounds.  I hear birds chirping right now and I am sure they are telling me to join them outside on this beautiful day.

In this day and time we all must see ourselves living not like we have in the past but one step in the right direction towards the life of our dreams.

Everyday ,or on every reality of a day ,we need to live with purpose.  I am still finding my full potential as I am confident I have not fulfilled my full purpose yet.  I have a 92 year old Grandma and she still lives with purpose and that is wonderful!

Everyone needs great moments to look forward to.  I need it just like you.  What will we do to make greatness happen?  I wonder if I were the way I was meant to be, would I be that much different or better?  Better as far as communicating with my mouth not my laptop, maybe.  But somehow I think I am better as a result of my extra mile or two added to my marathon of life.  It is only a race to finish, not against the world.  I am confident each of us can finish our race of living with purpose if we just never give up!

I hiked on the trail in our neighborhood today and saw whales migrating from where I was standing.  I can only say we are blessed to even observe such living creatures.  May all of us reach our full potential one step at a time.

Your friend,

Isaac

My buddy, Barris

 

 

 

HOW TO MAKE REAL FRIENDS

Many friends of mine are well aware of Oklahoma people and their way of friendship.  I love the way people from that part of the country make you feel.  Knowing quick friendships are near impossible for me, I am researching ways to make real friends.  An article I recently read suggested to make a list of three qualities that you  would value in a friend.  Here are my three:

1.  Fun and funny.  I love a good sense of humor.
2.  Patient.  They will need a lot of patience when communicating with me.
3.  Love the outdoors.  I feel so calm and myself while in nature.

The article then asked you to list what three qualities YOU bring to the friendship. I find this part most challenging.  I am humbled to think of how little I am offering in the way of friendship.  I will still try:

1.  I can be funny or so I am told.
2. I am knowledgble of many languages and book knowledge.  I can be handy when playing trivia games.
3. Kind.  I am kind in my words and with my affections.

I can see these things I bring to the table are frequently interests of my own.  I see now that what I want, must be similar to what I am offering in return.   I am working to make my list more substantial.

My mom once had my Dad and I write down three things we wanted from each other and were not getting.  Then after we had compiled our list, she proceeded to instruct us to give those very things we wrote to the other person.  You can imagine my surprise when I then had to find honor, respect, and patience on my list of things to express to my Dad.  It did seem to help with our view of one another considering our list were almost identical.

I am humbled when I reflect on the friends I have on this blog.  I expected so much less and I am grateful.  Friendships are much like your favorite foods.  You love them,  knowing they will always satisfy you and always look forward to seeing them appear again. But variety is always a pleasure.  I once was on an eight day rotation diet and although I missed some of my favorite foods, it forced me to try others, which I surprisingly found satisfying and healthy.  Maybe we should all try a rotation friendship diet.  See how many new different friends we can make and see if we do not enjoy this variety of personalities.  It may make us appreciate our “pasta and pesto” friends a little more while we get to try a little borscht.

Link “How To Make Real Friends”

Love,

Isaac

 

THANKS BARRIS!

   I recently took my first flight with Barris, my service dog, to visit my Grandparents in Oklahoma.  It was flawless.  I am confident without my special friend we would have missed our flight.  Thanks Barris!

January is a busy month as we are a trying to move.  I am excited to be moving back to the ocean.  I know Barris will love walking on the trail.  I am realizing a lot that where you choose to spend your time  says a lot about what kind  of life you live.   I love the ocean as it is calming to watch and to listen to.  I think it is like music for the soul to dance with in your mind.  Everyone needs to dance the rhythm of life in some way,  whether it’s to the rhythm of the wind in the trees or the open plains.  I find too many people are choosing to occupy their thoughts with other peoples motions like tv or movies.  It doesn’t make sense to hear the rhythms of life via intellegent masterminds of media.  I want everyone to slow down and find their own rhythm of life to dance to.  It is beautiful and personal and love.

 

Love,

Isaac

 

 

 

JUDE

   Jude, Barris, and I after a run in the neighborhood.

 

So many of you have commented on Sophia’s blog last week that I immediately started formulating a blog to highlight my brothers role in my life.  Jude and I are just 2 years apart but I feel that we have a bond much like that of twins.  Jude is dwelling in a open world where imagination runs free and friendship follows him like a dog follows his master.  Dreaming daily is his past time but all  his dreams seem to formulate before our eyes. He still acts surprised but I no longer get excited by the surprise as I already know the power of his dreams.  I only dream eyes to the future because he inspires me to try it.  Me, I am like him, I just stopped dreaming years ago.  Only this past year I have started seeing myself happy in this world.  My story is changing, my song is not sung yet, as I am seeing my imagination live and my dreams formulate as Jude’s does.  Jude is great energy to have around when things seem bleak.  Fear is not his friend.  He is hopeful, lovable and sweet.  I am grateful just to call him my brother. He makes me feel as if he needs me, even though I know he really doesn’t.

 

 

I know my personal experience made him more serious, but I know he is a kid at heart through and through.   I love his obsession with Star Wars and his vast knowledge of the animal kingdom.  Jude is strong, confident and kind, all the things I admire.  Everyday he takes a moment to make sure I am not feeling down.  My soul yearns for him to be proud of me as I am of him.  I just do my best and that is good enough for him.  Jude is the man!

Love,

Isaac

A BRIGHT LIGHT

This is my sister,  Sophia.  She is such an artist, with paint and with personality.  She helps me so much in areas that I am weak.  Almost everyday she finds joy and happiness in the smallest things.  Things like catching a beautiful butterfly and then letting it go, or picking a flower and giving it to someone to make them feel special.  She brings light to so many people.  I enjoyed going to this lake with her as we chased ducks and watched them play and swim.  She is never shy or afraid of an adventure.  I love her enthusiasm for life.  She also is so interested in helping me with my weaknesses.  She even helps me with therapies and sees my life as one of purpose.

Everyone is unique in strengths and weaknesses.  It’s the combination and blending of these in friendships that make life so fascinating and enjoyable.  I enjoy people who are unique or even odd to some,  because they are not predictable and less boring.  Sophia is certainly not boring.  Those who are unique yet are integrated into society, in my opinion, we must treat them as gems, for that is what they are.  Everyone can take a little strength from their friends who are different, but not if your friends are all the same as you.  Under pressure to be accepted we sometimes pretend to be strong when in reality we are weak.  This robs us from the opportunity to rub shoulders with somone who could help us grow out of our weaknesses, to be stronger.  I cannot afford to pretend to be someone  I am not.  I need help with my weaknesses so I wouldn’t jeapardize that opportunity  for growth for a false sense of approval.

   My sister, Sophia, has certainly helped me see life as an exciting journey, revealing the beauty of friendship and acceptance of everyone.  She has taken an odd shaped “cake” like me, and artfully decorated me to be more appealing.  A true artist she is.  We may be just the ingredient someone around us needs to be more beautiful on the inside or out by just being who we are.   Sophia intelligently recognizes me as different, yet she loves me regardless of my limitations.  Not your average 7 year old sister.  To me,  she is priceless.  Just follow her example of meeting  the needs of others while being beautiful, genuine, and young, with only joy and happiness in view everyday.  We  just might open our lives to a little more light, like Sophia.

Your friend,

Isaac

TRUST THROUGH THE USE OF A SERVICE DOG

I recently received an email from my Aunt Nellie asking me questions about how I have adjusted to my new service dog, Barris.  She had just read an article about a man who had been blind from birth but grew up to be a successful business owner, husband, and father.  I too had read the experience in the November 15, 2015 Awake magazine, which featured a picture of this man with his service dog,  Dante.  The blind man admitted it was hard at first to entrust his safety to his dog.  But with the help of his dog he could go anywhere without the need for his wife to accompany him.  I don’t have the need for Barris to see for me, but he certainly has made it easy to trust him with my safety in public, which is often a confusing overwhelming place for me sound wise.  I  have always enjoyed dogs from a distance, but Barris has helped me understand body language of dogs and of people as well.  I am more redeemed when I am connected to others, rather than just focusing on the many different sounds around me.  Just like horses, I find Barris to be predictable, hard working, and loyal.  If we all felt safe walking around we would definitely be happier.  I know I am,  with my dog next to me.  I appreciate when articles are written about individuals who overcome a struggle in life with hard work, supportive family, and hope for a better world.  I am including the link for anyone who wants to read this amazing story.  I am grateful for people who encourage understanding for those with some sort of disability to be successful happy people regardless of being different.  I am different, and if this blind man can do it,  so can I.  I would like to say I am on my  way.  Just remember everyone is independent from judgement when everyone is viewed the same.

Kind Regards,

Isaac

Thanks Aunt Nellie for your questions.  I love them.

Click on link to read the November 15,2015 Awake article “Living  Without Sight”.

“Living Without Sight”