Sights of Sites

I took this while in upstate New York in the middle of March, it's the Niagara Falls frozen.

It was quite a superb sight, seeing the Falls twice before with rushing water and the Maid of the Mist(the tourism boat that travels close to the Falls) riding around. The night shots are from the Canadian side looking at the Falls. I have told many that Niagara Falls at night looks like cotton candy because of the lights underneath. They change color by the way, which is really cool.

Experiencing natural wonders like Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon in Arizona help me appreciate being alive to see something so beautiful; every time I am in another state or country enjoying my time and freedom either by myself of with friends, I can't help but smile because in that moment I am content. I am happy, and as quoted in Jon Krakauer's Into The Wild, "happiness is real when it's shared," and that rings true in my life.
I want to share my happiness with others, taking them away from their stressful, everyday existence, even if only temporarily, to just take a step back and breathe.



Random fact:

If you exercise to lose weight - choose your sport wisely. Swimming in cold water tends to make people crave high-fat foods, according to new research at Loughborough University in the U.K. 

-The Week Magazine, 3/27/09

You also have to factor in the abundant use of carbohydrates and expulsion of electrolytes (lost through sweat) because of intense activity (i.e., swimming, sprinting, hard working out, etc.).

The Tides of Breathing

One important principle to live by is gratitude. Many samurai of feudal Japan lived every day like it was their last, finding the greatest appreciation in the smallest things. They believed that there was beauty in every breath, because in that moment it meant you were alive. When I wake up every morning, I am extremely grateful to wake up alive; having all my fingers and toes, limbs, and all my senses. In an "attitude of gratitude," food tastes better and aromas smell stronger. Cherishing everything and everyone you have in life is important for a healthy mind and body, but it also helps get through the day easier. Next time you get the chance, take time to actually feel the breeze on your skin during a nice day, or listen to the sounds of nature: birds chirping or singing, wind rustling the leaves of a tree.

Many people will never truly feel what it is like to be grateful every single day. The warrior experiences it in battle; a law enforcement officer who survives a firefight on domestic soil or a soldier who lives through an ambush or IED(Improvised Explosive Device) in a third-world country. Through that close encounter does one truly know how it feels to be physically and psychologically grateful to be alive. We are not promised tomorrow. That is why we should live in gratitude and live by the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would like done unto you."

"If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them."
-the Dalai Lama