A Paddler's Gratitude

One crisp Sunday morning, the crimson sunrise peered over Fremont's Peak while its gentle sun rays awaken Monterey Beach.  As a child, I imagined a Cinderella castle nestled atop this mountain with a winding trail to its draw bridge. Now, as an adult, I felt the warmth of the rising sun as my closest paddling friends and I guided our 40' Hawaiian canoe into the Pacific Ocean.  In that moment, I thought how fortunate I am to belong to an ohana, a family that believes our environment, our Spirit, and our God are intrinsically combined. And how I wished the underserved could someday have this experience. Mahalo.