A wave never separates from the sea. It seems distinct when viewed and labeled but, remove the label and what is a wave? Water. Always simply water. The same water that flows in the ocean. Only its form has changed.
We are waves. Not separate from the universe. Not strangers to the world. We are existence itself in beautiful form, here for fleeting moments before returning to the sea.
Today is my dad's birthday.
He grew up in a war-zone during WWII, personally fought in the later Korean war, smoked three packs of unfiltered cigarettes every day and survived a heart attack at 42. After that he gave up smoking and lived into his 90s with almost 40 years of leisurely retirement.
In the 1950s my father found and married the woman of his dreams, raising two kids with her in a close-knit happy family in leafy suburbs.
Lucky guy.
Harmony with nature is resonance, a current to be sensed. We find it by looking closely and moving in time with the natural world.
On a hike years ago I discovered a portal. Ensorcelled, I pointed a vintage camera at the threshold and asked silver film to record its surface.
Elvis Presley created his own personal motto - TCB - which embodies Elvis's approach to life. It was his mantra.
TCB stands for "Taking Care of Business" and is accompanied by a lightning bolt Elvis drew himself. I first learned about this from Baz Luhrmann's 2022 bio-pic: the logo is in the credits and poster for the movie.
I wear a t-shirt bearing Elvis's logo when I go to the gym. I also just bought a pocket square bearing one for when I'm out on the town, dressed like a true boulevardier.
The sewn pocket square comes from Lansky Brothers ("Clothier To The King"), a Memphis company founded by a tailor who designed and made flashy clothes for Elvis before and after he became famous. Bernard Lansky was a mensch who helped many rock stars find their unique style. One day he observed a poor, unknown musician (Elvis) peering in the window of his shop. Bernard went outside and invited Elvis in. The rest is history!
Nothing beats nature for fascinating views.
I'm looking through old photos taken 13 years ago (May 2013). The first is at a local park (Heckscher) in my hometown (Huntington, NY). The second is in Rhode Island where I visited the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence.
The second bird looks unreal -- almost like a cartoon -- but he actually exists and was kind enough to pose for my camera. :)
