"Mahalo" by Bodhi Smith

Apr 22, 2022

"mahalo" is my brand new impression and blog...
 
"today we celebrate earth day, and it's a reminder of how i'm so deeply grateful for this planet. i'm truly thankful to be blessed to be alive and get to see, experience, and photograph all of the beauty that this world has to offer. thankful, grateful, mahalo" ― bodhinku, mahalo to the earth
 
"sometimes when i make choices, i feel alone. so i reminded myself of the tender mercies this universe has given unto me on a daily basis: life, love, breath, sunrise, water, food, earth, sunset, sky, stars, sleep, dreams and i know i'm not alone...and i am thankful" ― bodhinku, mahalo
 
"among the things you can give and still keep are: your word, a smile, and a grateful heart" ― gautama siddhartha buddha, sayings of buddha 
 
"gratitude doesn't change the scenery.  it merely washes clean the glass you look through so you can clearly see the colors" ― richelle e. goodrich, smile anyway
 
"bring the sky beneath your feet and feel thankful for the celestial music everywhere, and dance anywhere, anytime" ―
 
"for this breath, i give my mahalo. 
for mother earth, i give my mahalo. 
for the ocean, i give my mahalo. 
for the rain, i give my mahalo 
for the clouds, i give my mahalo 
for the light shining through darkness, i give my mahalo 
for the stars and the milky way, i give my mahalo 
for the universe, i give my mahalo 
for the divine spirit, i give my mahalo 
for this moment, i give my mahalo
for love, i give my mahalo" ― bodhinku, mahalo
  
"i am a miracle made up of particles. and in this existence, i'll stay persistent and i'll make a difference. and i will have lived it... aloha, aloha ke akua, ke akua...aloha, aloha kuleana, kuleana...each day that i wake, i will praise, i will praise.. each day that i wake, i give thanks, i give thanks" ― nahko and medicine for the people, aloha ke akua
 
"so grateful for you! how many gifts and graces you have given me! how many favors you have fed me from your hand! i look for your love in all directions, then suddenly, its blessing burns in me" ― rabia al basri, ishq-e haqieeqi
 
"mahalo. 
when is it enough? 
chasing illusions. 
wanting ghosts. 
feeling un-full. 
when do we stop? 
when is it enough? 
when do we sit down, 
and simply say, mahalo.
enough" ― bo syrotiak
 
"be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals. if you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more?" ― roy t. bennett, the light in the heart
 
"to be grateful is to recognize the love of god in everything he has given us, and he has given us everything. every breath we draw is a gift of his love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from him. gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of god. for the grateful person knows that god is good, not by hearsay but by experience. and that is what makes all the difference" ― thomas merton, thoughts in solitude
 
"the true prayer is only of thankfulness; just a simple thank you is enough" ― osho, book of wisdom
 
"no one has family in hawaii. everyone is family in hawaii" ― richie norton
 
this song, from 2015, is a song about mahalo, the hawaiian word for being grateful. it's about giving thanks to this amazing life and amazing planet on which we get to live. it's about being grateful for the chance each day to be a part of all this magical creation of life....with its lyrics, plus having the exact same name as my impression and blog today, it's the perfect accompaniment to connect music with the meaning of my impression and blog today: "mahalo" by mary isis ... (just click on any of the words in the powder blue links to listen to the tune and watch the video) ...

"i give thanks for life, from my roots up to my crown. i give thanks for love, that’s within and all around. i give thanks for the rains, sacred waters of rebirth. i give thanks for the sun always shining on the earth. i give thanks for i am a conscious co-creator. i give thanks for i am my own liberator. i give thanks for you, you who shines so true. aloha, i honor the divinity in uou. mahalo ke akua....mahalo nui loa...mahalo ka honua...me ke kai, me ka makani, a me ka ua. i give thanks for i am a conscious co-creator. i give thanks for i am my own liberator. i give thanks for you, you who shines so true. aloha, i honor the divinity in you." ― mary isis, mahalo    
 
"remember these simple words, "mahalo ke akua"...be thankful for your life, for the people in your life, for your home, for your health, for love inside and out, for the creations on this earth." ― bodhinku, mahalo 
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SOME IMPORTANT HAWAIIAN TRANSLATIONS
"mahalo" is a hawaiian word and translates to mean: "i'm grateful; thank you"
"mahalo nui loa" is the hawaiian phrase meaning "i'm very much grateful"
"mahalo ke akua" is the hawaiian phrase meaning "thanks be to the great spirit"
"mahalo ka honua" is the hawaiian phrase meaning "thanks to the earth"
"mahalo me ke kai" is the hawaiian phrase meaning "thanks to the ocean"  
"mahalo me ka makani" is the hawaiian phrase meaning "thanks to the wind"
"mahalo a me ka ua" is the hawaiian phrase meaning "thanks to the rain"  
 
"a'hui hou" means "until we meet again"

"aloha" means love, affection, peace, compassion"
"aloha nui loa" means "with all my love"
"aloha ke akua" means "breath of life" or "love of god"
"aloha kuleana" means "love responsibly"
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MEANING
"i say mahalo nui loa to kauai, and the island responds aloha nui loa a hui hou kakou to me" ― bodhinku, mahalo 
 
today we celebrate earth day, and it's a reminder of how i'm so deeply grateful for this planet. i'm truly thankful to be blessed to be alive and get to see, experience, and photograph all of the beauty that this world has to offer. thankful, grateful, mahalo...
 
"mahalo" is a hawaiian word and translates to mean: "i'm grateful; thank you"
 
in order to better understand the koana (hidden meaning) of "mahalo", let's examine the roots of the word:
ma - in this case means "within"
ha - refers to the "divine breath of life"
alo - means "in the presence of"

the complete translation including the hidden meaning reads: "thankful to be in the presence of the divine breath of life." it both recognizes the divine breath in ones self and the for whom they are thankful or for what they are grateful...
 
and i'm grateful to breathe, to be alive! i'm so grateful for this moment i'm in right now, and for the next i get to experience! i'm grateful for this planet i live upon, for the water, for the wind, for the ocean, for the stars, for the divine spirit! and most of all, i'm grateful for love and being surrounded by love, and being filled up with love...i'm so thankful for love in my life....
 
"for this breath, i give my mahalo. 
for mother earth, i give my mahalo. 
for the ocean, i give my mahalo. 
for the rain, i give my mahalo 
for the clouds, i give my mahalo 
for the light shining through darkness, i give my mahalo 
for the stars and the milky way, i give my mahalo 
for the universe, i give my mahalo 
for the divine spirit, i give my mahalo 
for this moment, i give my mahalo
for love, i give my mahalo" ― bodhinku, mahalo
 
chosing a way of life based in mahalo (gratitude/thankfulness) can change our life, i've taken the phrase, "mahalo ke akua" to heart and in practice...

mahalo ke akua literally means "thanks to the great spirit" if you’re like me, sometimes i look back at my life and marvel at the fact i even survived my younger years. how did i get out of some of my circumstances alive and (somewhat) stable? then it makes me think of all the people who helped along the way, all of the choices i made…and i see how the universe always had a plan, and when i take the time to be grateful, i see all that divinity has done for me...

divinity never leaves us...the universe always sees to a way for me to succeed...
 
"if you want something badly enough, the universe conspires to help you achieve it" ― paulo coelho, the alchemist
 
but sometimes when i make choices, i feel alone. so i reminded myself of the tender mercies this universe has given unto me on a daily basis: life, love, breath, sunrise, water, food, earth, sunset, sky, stars, sleep, dreams and i know i'm not alone...and i am thankful.

i'm stronger, more empathetic, more compassionate, and more patient through all my trials. i have great moments of joy and peace. the universe has compensated me with people who raise my spirits and reach out in genuine love. so, mahalo ke akua, i always think to myself...

these words have stuck, not because they’re easy to say, but because of the meaning behind them. when i take the time to express deep gratitude, my perspective changes. it becomes easier to see the good in all things.
 
mahalo ke akua for the joy that i get to experience in this life. like the hawaiians, i have profound gratitude for the universe and all its creations, for love, for divinity, for mercy, for kindness, for gratitude. words of thanks and praise never will run out...

mahalo ke akua for the ocean to provide comfort, for the food we have, for the rain that nourishes the earth, for the sun to shine benevolently, for our families, for the good people in our lives, for the challenges we face, and for the blessings we are so generously given…

mahalo ke akua for life...these words help me find my path through difficulties. they help me to silence the needless noise in my mind. as i express gratitude for all that i have, even my challenges. my mind is enlightened, i'm content. i have more peace....it's about being grateful for all i have, not wishful for all that i don't...

remember these simple words, mahalo ke akua. be thankful for your life, for the people in your life, for your home, for your health, for love inside and out, for the creations on this earth.
 
and i deeply encourage you to write your thoughts daily...i truly believe that the more we express and record all things we're grateful for, the more magic, blessings, and miracles we see each day...mahalo ke akua!
 
"i give my mahalo to aloha. because to share aloha is to share life, it's honoring and respecting all of creation in this connected love" ― bodhinku, mahalo aloha 
 
this next song is so profoundly deep with its message..."aloha ke akua" by nahko bear (medicine for the people) ... while abstract, the singer speaks to the coexistence of humans, nature, the environment and a reverence of love that should guide our life therein. the interconnection of love and the natural world that surrounds us is quickly lost when our lives become overrun with electronics, a throw-away culture and a society that often values materialism more than it does the environment. it seems that technological and scientific progress can unintentionally push us to disconnect from this earth and our spiritual purpose. and if we are not tuned in and conscientious to keep love and nature in our forward thinking, we will miss all those valuable moments in life, those ordinary moments...and all moments are important and not to be overlooked...if we let all the noise of the new information society overtake us, the space in between or the "breath of life" will be unappreciated or lost as the song repetitively recants with "aloha ke akua"... 
 
"there are no ordinary moments" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior
 
this breath, "aloha ke akua" is our pause button in this worldly existence; it's by taking this breath, that we identify if we're making a difference with the works with which we occupy our time. i'm someone who truly believes that once basic needs are met, people can find satisfaction in their life, no matter what their occupation, if they look for joy and bring sincere respect in their interactions with other people and our natural world. some work in nature or do outdoor work. others work inside so they can play in the natural world. either way, finding a method to better connect with humanity and mother nature is, in my opinion, critical in finding a sense of meaning in this life...

"lend your ears, lend your hands. lend your movement, anything you can. come to teach, come to be taught. come in the likeness in the image of god. because, you can be like that. with all that humbleness, and all that respect. all of the power invested in me, be it hard to love my enemies. all of the black bags over the heads of the dead and dying. the more i understand about the human race, the less i comprehend about our purpose and place. and maybe if there was a clearer line the curiosity would satisfy. time based prophecies that kept me from living in the moment i am struggling to trust the divinity of all the guides. and what the hell they have planned for us. i cry for the creatures who get left behind. but everything will change in a blink of an eye. and if you wish to survive, you will find the guide inside. i go back and forth every single day. the clarity that comes to me in a choppy way. as the feelings and the places and the seasons change, the galaxies remain. energy fields cone the body in space. the angels that are coming from a spiritual waste. the hate that gets me distant from my spiritual pace. ten fold the manna when the planets are in place, in polar alignment. we're on assignment. bodies on consignment. return them to the circus, and what is the purpose? what is the purpose and would you believe it? would you believe it if you knew what you were for and how you became so informed? bodies of info performing such miracles. i am a miracle made up of particles. and in this existence, i'll stay persistent. and i'll make a difference, and i will have lived it...aloha, aloha ke akua, ke akua...aloha, aloha kuleana, kuleana...i am not a leader, just a creature. stick the peaches of my teacher when you follow where they lead. all mysterious ways of nature and i am in to it, changing management. and there are various ways to conquer this monotonous, metropolis. my stubbornness is bottomless, my fear is this is talking shit. and i am wide awake and i am taking names. do you speak to me like you speak to god? all the love and understanding between the father and the son? do you believe in the perfectness of where you are? he's my people, he's my children, it's the land that i would fight for. i saw an ebonese telling me to patiently move the music medicine around the planet in a hurry. cuz there's no time to waste. got to wake up the people. time to stand up and say: we know what we are for and how we became so informed. bodies of info performing such miracles. i am a miracle made up of particles. and in this existence, i'll stay persistent and i'll make a difference. and i will have lived it... aloha, aloha ke akua, ke akua...aloha, aloha kuleana, kuleana...each day that i wake, i will praise, i will praise.. each day that i wake, i give thanks, i give thanks. each day that i wake, i will praise, i will praise. each day that i wake, i give thanks, i give thanks....and the day that i do wake up and transcend the holy makeup, i am capable, i am powerful. and the day that i do wake up and transcend the holy makeup, i am on my way to a different place, i am powerful. and the day that i do wake up and transcend the holy makeup, i am on my way to a different place" ― nahko and medicine for the people, aloha ke akua
 
"mahalo to the universe for roses rare,
for skies of blue and sunshine fair;
for every gift, i raise a prayer,
mahalo ke akua to the universe for lovely night,
for mystic fields with stars bedight,
for hours of dream and deep delight,

mahalo ke akua for love divine,
the hopes that ‘round my heart entwine;
for all the joy that now is mine,
 
"you were blessed with 84,600 seconds today, have you used one of them to say thank you?" ― bodhinku, blessed
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STORY BEHIND THIS IMPRESSION
"the mana, the spiritual energy of power and strength, of our ancestors gives us life and direction, so for those who came before us, we give our mahalo...wai ola, the living water sustains the life of all who live on mother earth, for without precious water there would be no life, so for wai ola we are eternally grateful and give our mahalo. the ‘aina, our priceless earth and soil which sustains the children of the land (keiki o ka ‘aina) and our future, we give our mahalo, for without it's form and shape we could not hold the wai that gives us life and without it's warmth and mana we could not grow the mea'ai (food) which feeds and supports our bodies upon papa, our earth mother. it's for all these things we give our mahalo...and for all the blessings of love we have, we give our mahalo!" ― hawaiian saying (modified by bodhinku) 
 
this image was captured on the north shore of the hawaiian island of kauai facing due south while standing on a sand bar formed by the hanalei river in hanalei bay just north of the pier...
 
this composition is created from two separately taken images that were then merged together using layers in adobe photoshop cc...an image of the hanalei pier at sunset from this spot, and an image of the stars in the sky from this spot...
 
the time frame for shooting the milky way core on this night (04-13-22) was very narrow at only 29 mins long (from 4:33am-5:02am). giving me such a small window of opportunity for the sky to be dark enough in the time between the bright setting moon and the even brighter rising sun...and i needed the clouds to cooperate and give me a break through them during that window of opportunity at the exact position the milky ways was in the sky on this night in hawaii (at a height of 39° in the sky almost due south from my position at 177.2°)...
 
sunset of the hanalei pier is almost always beautiful and the picture really captures itself from the right perspective...but i was lucky with the night shot, as the stars did cooperated for a brief few minutes with the milky way showing through a break in the clouds before disappearing behind the clouds again...
 
i seldom release images of places that have been shot by millions of photographers through the years, but this is a different scene most people have never viewed from this location, the early season milky way over top of the hanalei pier...it's something unique and in my own unwavering style...hope you love this picture as much as i loved being there in kauai capturing the composition...
 
"make me sweet again,
and fresh
and fragrant
and grateful
for any small event" ― jalaluddin rumi, the essential rumi
 
"and i'm grateful to breathe, to be alive! i'm so grateful for this moment i'm in right now, and for the next i get to experience! i'm grateful for this planet i live upon, for the water, for the wind, for the ocean, for the stars, for the divine spirit! and most of all, i'm grateful for love and being surrounded by love, and being filled up with love...i'm so thankful for love in my life..." ― bodhinku, mahalo 
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HISTORY OF THE HANALEI PIER
"mahalo ke akua for the joy that i get to experience in this life. like the hawaiians, i have profound gratitude for the universe and all its creations, for love, for divinity, for mercy, for kindness, for gratitude. words of thanks and praise never will run out..." ― bodhinku, mahalo 

hanalei pier is a pier built into hanalei bay on the northern shore of the island of kauai in the state of hawaii.

the wetlands of hanalei bay were used to grow taro by ancient hawaiians. by the 1860s, the shrinking population of native hawaiians was being replaced by ethnic chinese people when their contracts expired on sugarcane plantations in hawaii, such as the one directly to the north in princeville close to hanalei. the new crop was rice, which was shipped to honolulu to become the second largest export crop of the islands. after the annexation of hawaii to the u.s. in 1898, hawaiian rice could not compete with rice grown in california and shipments declined.

the pier was originally built of wood in 1892. it was erected to support the shipping of agricultural goods, particualrly rice. in the early 1900's, work began to extend the pier, and it was eventually lengthened to 340 feet (100 m) in 1912. in 1921, the legislature authorized $25,000usd for a new concrete deck, as the wooden deck was too difficult to maintain in the tropical climate. conney and morris were selected as contractors, and finished the construction of the new deck by the end of 1922. by 1933 the pier was no longer used for shipping because hawaiian rice was no longer lucrative to grow on kauai. the shed roof was finally constructed at the far end of the pier in the 1940s.
 
the pier was heavily damaged in 1992 as a result of hurricane iniki. in 2012–13, the canopy at the end of the pier was restored. the hanalei rotary club raised over $170,000 to restore the neglected canopy in a program coined "save the pier."

although originally owned by the state, the land at the base of the pier is a kauai county park known as black pot beach. it is located at the end of weke road north of hi route 560. adjacent to the north is the mouth of the hanalei river, where a public boat landing provides recreational and commercial access
 
since it was abandoned for shipping in 1933, the hanalei pier's scenic location on hanalei bay is now a favorite family gathering place for fishing, picnicking, swimming, paddle-boarding, boating, and playing. it offers stunning views of the bay, its 2-mile long crescent beach, and the mountains behind hanalei town. if you can't resist jumping in, a ladder bolted to the side will help you climb back up.

the hanalei pier was also the main filming area for the 1954 film beachhead and the well known and beloved 1957 romantic musical by rodgers and hammerstein, south pacific. the pier was added to the national register of historic places on september 13, 1979, as site 79000757...
 
"and i deeply encourage you to write your thoughts daily...i truly believe that the more we express and record all things we're grateful for, the more magic, blessings, and miracles we see each day...mahalo ke akua!" ― bodhinku, mahalo    
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MORE QUOTES FOR EXTRA MEANING
here is another beautifully poignant song with beautiful apropos lyrics to give listen, a true reggae classic of wisdom to help anyone find some peace in their life in times of trouble, or ego, or nothing going right, by breathing, giving thanks and gratitude, and just letting things go: "give thanks and praises" by bob marley ... (just click on any of words in the powder blue links to listen to the song)...  

"give thanks and praises to the most-i (jah!); give thanks and praises so high (so high). he will not deceive us my brethren; he will only lead us again (again): oh, take that veil from off of your eyes; look into the future of realize. noah had three sons, ham, shem and japhet; and in ham is known to be the prophet. glory to jah, the prophet is come (through all these ages); glory to jah, the prophet has come (through all these stages). when my soul was hurtin' deep within, and i'm worrying to be free, desperately, yeah. so guide and protect i'n'i, o jah - jah, through all these ages; guide and protect i'n'i, o jah - jah, through all these stages...rastafari is his name (jah!) rastafari is his name (jah!). if jah didn't love i (love i), if i didn't love i (love i), if jah didn't love i (love i), if i didn't love i, would i be around today? would i be around to say: give thanks and praises, give thanks and praises; give thanks and praises, give thanks and praises; give thanks and praises, give thanks and praises" ― bob marley, give thanks and praises  
 
"let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful" ― gautama siddhartha buddha, sayings of buddha 
 
"when you are grateful, fear disappears, and abundance appears" ― gautama siddhartha buddha, sayings of buddha 
 
"the root of joy is gratefulness...it is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful" ― confucius
 
"when one has a grateful heart, life is so beautiful" ― lao tzu, tao te ching
 
"being grateful does not mean that everything is necessarily good. it just means that you can accept it as a gift" ― dalai lama xiv, the art of happiness  
 
"once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack" ― vincent van gogh
 
"for me, i’ve reached the part in my life where i need to embrace giving myself full permission to do what i want. this includes not only speaking my truth, ​feeling grateful for everything i have,​and living in each moment, making each precious moment count...but also in wandering around more and experiencing what life has to offer. journeys offer transformation and a different perspective. and they can shake up the dusty parts of our souls and aid us in seeing the bigger picture. they can inspire us and help us to move towards something that may be missing. we often spend a lifetime playing the rolls that we are taught we must, ignoring what we wish. and then the time comes to expand horizons and it is an offer that we can no longer ignore. a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, as lao tze says. or as the late anthony bourdain says: travel isn’t always pretty. it isn’t always comfortable. sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. but that’s okay. the journey changes you; it should change you. it leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. you take something with you. hopefully, you leave something good behind" ― c. ara campbell, what anthony bourdain taught me
 
"perhaps you are not yet where you feel you should be...but from one dreamer to another, a careful word of advice: you could reach every last one of your goals and still find yourself unfulfilled at the finishing line...the true essence of life exists in the in-between. it is in the striving, that your excellence is exposed to the world. it is in the setbacks, that the strength of your spirit is learned. in the unfinished dream lies the full and burning heart of life. be grateful for all these things, each is truly a blessing...it is only a spell of the mind, an artful deception, that you might find fulfillment in fortune, fame, perfection or power. but real fulfilling life is not lived here. the real fulfillment exists in the distance you still have left to travel. that is where the true magic happens" ― beau taplin (with some additions by bodhinku), the ascent
 
“the most important thing you will ever do in your life is learn to embrace your unique, honest self. ​be grateful for who you are. because in ​a boundless, infinitely populated universe, there is nothing else here quite like you. this is your power. all those things that make you strange and different are what make you irreplaceable" ― beau taplin, the wild heart

"love is prayerfulness groping toward godliness. love is poetry born out of the sheer joy of being. love is song, dance, celebration: a song of gratitude, a dance of thankfulness, celebration for no reason at all, for this tremendous gift that goes on showering on us, for this whole universe, from the dust to the divine" ― osho, the power of love  
 
"we are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. life is eternal. we have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. this is a precious moment. it is a little parenthesis in eternity" ― paulo coelho, the alchemist
 
"and, in that mood, he was grateful to be in love. when you are in love, things make even more sense, he thought" ― paulo coelho, the alchemist
 
"some lives form a perfect circle, others take shape in ways we cannot predict or always understand. loss has been part of my journey. but it has also shown me what is precious. so has love for which i can only be grateful" ― nicholas sparks, message in a bottle 
 
"love life. i have to make a conscious effort to remember that. to choose to be happy every day. if I didn’t, i think my own pain would’ve killed me a long time ago. i’m grateful" ― tahereh mafi, shatter me  
 
"breath is the finest gift of nature. be grateful for this wonderful gift" ― amit ray, beautify your breath, beautify your life
 
"be like a lotus flower. let the beauty of your heart speak. be grateful to the mud, water, air and the light" ― amit ray, the transforming power
 
"when we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed" ― maya angelou
 
"this is the key to life: to expect everything to be given to you from above, yet to be genuinely surprised and forever grateful when they are. expecting all good things to be yours, while knowing how to not take anything for granted. if there may be a key in life, this is the key" ― c. joybell c.  
 
"i am so grateful for my troubles. as i reflect back on my life, i have come to realize that my greatest triumphs have been born of my greatest troubles" ― steve maraboli, unapologetically you
 
"those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. and even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up" ― steve maraboli, unapologetically you
 
"don't wait for other people to be loving, giving, compassionate, grateful, forgiving, generous, or friendly...lead the way!" ― steve maraboli, unapologetically you
 
"great things happen to those who don't stop believing, trying, learning, and being grateful" ― roy t. bennett, the light in the heart
 
"be mindful. be grateful. be positive. be true. be kind" ― roy t. bennett, the light in the heart   
      
"each day brings new opportunities, allowing you to constantly live with love—be there for others—bring a little light into someone's day. be grateful and live each day to the fullest" ― mother theresa
 
"as the years pass, i am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. they are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness...just the pure air to breathe and the strength to breath it; just warmth and shelter and home folks; just plain food that gives us strength; the bright sunshine on a cold day; and a cool breeze when the day is warm" ― laura ingalls wilder, little house on the prairie
 
"the earth is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there's little good evidence. far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides" ― carl sagan, pale blue dot  
  
"reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many...not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. but always be grateful for both" ― charles dickens
 
"i am grateful for what i am and have. my thanksgiving is perpetual. it is surprising how contented one can be with nothing definite, only a sense of existence.  o how i laugh when i think of my vague indefinite riches. no run on my bank can drain it, for my wealth is not possession but enjoyment" ― henry david thoreau, walden  
 
"cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. and because all things have contributed, you should include all things in your gratitude" ― ralph waldo emerson
 
"i know to respect the hand that i was dealt. and to be grateful i was even dealt a hand" ― colleen hoover, slammed
 
"the secret to happiness...be satisfied and be grateful" ― mitch albom, have a little faith
 
"be grateful for what you have now. as you begin to think about all the things in your life you are grateful for, you will be amazed at the never ending thoughts that come back to you of more things to be grateful for. you have to make a start, and then the law of attraction will receive those grateful thoughts and give you more just like them" ― rhonda byrne, the secret
 
"let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom" ― marcel proust 
 
"synchronize each breath with the present moment and become intertwined with happiness. breathing in, we are grateful for the opportunities that are given to us; breathing out, we let go of the depression and anxiety that hold us back" ― forrest curran, purple buddha project
 
"no longer forward or behind
i look in hope or fear,
but grateful, take the good i find,
the best of now and here." ― john greenleaf whittier, poetry
 
"thankfulness brings you to the place where your beloved lives" ― jalaluddin rumi, poems of ecstasy and longing
 
"this being human is a guest house. every morning is a new arrival. a joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor...welcome and entertain them all. treat each guest honorably. the dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond" ― jalaluddin rumi, bridge to the soul
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ABOUT THE IMPRESSION
"mahalo ke akua for life...these words help me find my path through difficulties. they help me to silence the needless noise in my mind. as i express gratitude for all that i have, even my challenges. my mind is enlightened, i'm content. i have more peace....it's about being grateful for all i have, not wishful for all that i don't..." ― bodhinku, mahalo ke akua  
 
this impression was captured in two separate exposures that were merged into one composition using layers in adobe photoshop cc. one exposure taken just after the sunset over the hanalei pier on the north shore of kauai, hawaii (at 7:30pm hst) and then another exposure taken nine hours later in the wee hours of the night at 4:44am hst on april 13th, 2022...the image of the pier is a longer exposure  (f/2.8@24mm for 111 secs, iso-64) and the image of the milkyway and stars is a quasi-long exposure (f'/1.4@24mm for 15 secs, iso-1600)... 
 
in my photography, i always use filters to create longer exposure effects, saturate colors naturally, and balance the light in my composition in-camera...i often use as many as four filters at time, and i always use at least one filter in my completed impressions...
 
to get the effects and balance i was looking for in hanalei pier seascape exposure of this composition (f/2.8@24mm for 111 secs, iso-64), i used two progreyusa filters along with the progrey g-120z magnetic holder to secure these filters to my nikon d850 with a nikon nikkor 24mm f/1.4 prime lens ... 
 
first, a 3.0 nd progrey antarctic magnetic filter to bring the light in the image down 10 stops and permit for the long 1 minute and 51 second exposure to create the dreamy effect of the clouds and smooth flat-calm looking ocean, plus this filter used in a long exposure also helps to naturally saturate all the red, green, and blue (rgb) colors in the image,...
 
combined with the second filter, a 0.9 gnd progrey aurora filter to help balance in-camera the image overall the way i envisioned it...in this case, to stop down the much brighter light in the sky leftover from the sunset (especially on the right hand side of the image), an extra three stops and help permit details in the shadows of the pier and mountains in the background to come out better in the exposure... 
 
for the separate exposure of the stars (f/1.4@24mm for 15 secs, iso-1600), and no filters were necessary, so none were used...
 
i wish to openly thank my sponsors who have always supported me through both the good and bad times...for truly this long exposure impression would not be possible without the use of my induro phq3 series 5-way panhead with the induro (now benro) stealth carbon fiber tripod in combination with the progreyusa filters which i use with every photo i take...
 
"you were blessed with 84,600 seconds today, have you used one of them to say thank you?" ― bodhinku, blessed
 
"if nothing else...if i open my eyes, if i hope, if i cry, if i think, if i sigh, if i giggle, if i dance, if i love, if i breathe, then i have lived a full days worth of life...nothing is wasted, nothing" ― bodhinku, if nothing else
 
"i do not want you to just be into my photography, instead, i'd much rather you take a journey into my pictures, and feel the impression i have created, feel it with all your senses" ― bodhinku, into my photography
 
"my photography is my way of keeping a diary" ― bodhinku, my diary 
 
"contemplate without thinking. be certain only in your uncertainty, content to be completely incomplete. stop the rush. slow down time. breathe and notice. slow down everything. let it all be. shut off the noise. hush. relax. seize this higher moment. reconnect. feel and sense what surrounds you. listen to all the colours of light whisper as they envelope you. see the melody and harmony that float about unnoticed. taste the solitude of all this wonderment. smell the beautiful silence. now discover your peaceful serenity. then, reach out and touch your faith with all your senses. this is my world. awaken!" ― bodhinku, my world
 
i leave you today wishing that bright joy 
and spiritual peace fill your life...
imploring you to make every moment count, 
no matter what, always and forever, 
for that is the only thing that truly matters... 
  
and above all else,
i hope this message and impression find you well.
 
namaste,
bodhi
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please visit me at:

http://www.bodhismith.com
http://www.instagram.com/bodhismith
http://www.facebook.com/Bodhi.Impressions

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