Hawaii: Day 4; Whale Watching & Waikiki

Whale watching has been somewhat of a bucket list idea for me. Something that you write down but never really believe you'll get the oportunity to do before you die. So to finally do it, to finally be out of a boat looking for this burst of mist to spot a whale, was truely incredible. The view of the shoreline was magnificent and the sight of such majestic creatures was truely something to be remembered. I will, in all honesty, never forget how exciting it was everytime I saw one surface.

There are a few different ways that whales will surface, they will blow out of their blow hole and curve their back taking a dive back under (most common), showing their flute or tail (fairly common), show their pectorial fin and flap it against the water (somewhat rare), or breach which is where their head and most of the body comes up and then they fall of their side (rare). I was lucky enough to see everything but a breach.  However, I feel that it was made up for in the fact that we saw a mother and her baby. I think the best part about whale watching is that not like visiting an animal in captivety, these animals are in their natural habitat not from behind a glass window.

I could have stayed out on that boat forever looking at the endless sky, drifting further and further away from the shoreline but eventually the tour was over and we headed to Waikiki. Waikiki is a pretty famous beach, and I can see why. The colors and the clarity of the water are just beautiful. Swimming in it with mountains looming overhead was just unreal. Lanikai is still my favorite so far, but I have yet to see the North Shore. The great part about these Islands is that each side of them has something very different to offer. I can't wait to see Diamond Head and the North Shore very soon.

& To follow a pattern I feel like I should insert a "lesson of the day". Today, I talked to my good friends, Elle and Maria on skype. I am very thankful to have them both in my life and they have both unknowingly helped me to realize some things about myself. Elle always makes me feel funny, and she is so understanding everytime I show a hidden part of me that I don't find to be very pretty. And Maria, is unlike any friend that I have ever had. She has always been one to help me to see in myself what I can't see. So here is what I have found, from these two incredible ladies. One of the hardest things for me to overcome is acceptance. I never truely accept things for the way they are, and therefore never embrace the good things either.

Over the last few months, and even years I have had people pray over me, and time and time again people who don't even know me that well will say something to the effect of, "LORD, let her see herself the way that YOU see her." And to be quite honest this has been a battle for me. I don't always see myself as beautiful and unique and strong. It used to be that when people complimented me I didn't even know how to take it, because I don't think I really believed it. For so long I've been at war with myself, and I think it's about time for some acceptance, flaws and all I need to love myself and really see myself through the eyes of someone who can take all that I am and all that I've done and still say, "it is good."