The Dip
Tom and I have some trepidation about going out today. We’ve often been out in the big North Shore waves of Maui before, but this morning we read reports that the waves at Peahi, the famous big wave surf spot called Jaws were going to ...
A Man Named Mooji
We all have our passions in life. For some it’s primping their poodle for a dog show, for some it’s knowing all the characters in Downton Abbey, and for others it’s collecting crystals. For me, it’s following spiritual teachers ...
Lit Up and on Fire
Every Wednesday evening, a small group of friends meet at my house for “Popcorn, Wine and Meditation.” The name of our group is a way of saying that none of us take ourselves too seriously (we don’t actually drink wine, except me ...
Muscle Memory
I tentatively step from the solid floor onto the ice rink. Over a hundred tiny kids, a few teenagers, and one or two grown ups are buzzing around the rink in varying degrees of control. With everyone going counter-clockwise, it’s like ...
Death Wish
It’s a rough day on the North Shore of Maui. Driving to Baldwin Beach, I pass by Ho’okipa, the famous windsurfing beach, where the waves are at least 15-feet high. I almost drive off the road trying to watch the surfers. From this ...
Tectonic Shift
When I was in my early thirties and a cocky young art history professor living in Toronto, Canada, the editor of artscanada asked me to write a feature article on Gershon Iskowitz, one of Canada’s foremost painters. I knew ...
The Joy of Yelling
I love yelling. Just about every day I get to yell at the top of my lungs far out in the ocean and then laugh hysterically at the tragedy and the hilarity of life. These are not wimpy yells; they’re from the gut, give it ...
Footprints in the Sand
Footprints in the Sand There’s a well-worn expression amongst those who live on the islands, and those that dream about living on them. It’s the idea that “Life’s a Beach,” a life of sun, sand, ocean, warm ...
Guys with Gratitude
I’m a guy, but I really don’t know much about guys. I’m not a high testosterone type like George Clooney, Brad Pitt or Matt Damon, who, at least in my active imagination, love to hang out with each other, get drunk, and play ...
Six Men Swimming
I arrive at Baby Beach, on Maui’s North Shore, at 10:30, expecting to meet my swim buddies, but no one is there. I must have the time wrong. To my dismay, the weather is windy, overcast and cold. There are only a few hardy souls on the ...
