COCONUTS

This world is filled with great things although sometimes it may not seem that way- injustice, sadness, inequality, terror, and all those horrible things you see on the news remind you “this is reality, in case you forgot”- time to wake up and smell the roses. It’s all true.  I’m not denying it. 

Look at your everyday life and all its problems: Taxes are too high, it’s too hot, too cold, I’m too poor to buy the things I want, I’m too rich to buy only the things I need, I’m too fat, my ass is flat, I want bigger boobs, I hate my boss, work is killing my soul, the lack of a job is killing my soul, my boyfriend sucks, I don’t have a boyfriend, I’ll never find a husband, I’m alone, I’m wasting my time, I have no time.

ENOUGH.

Some people look at the glass half full, some look at the glass half empty, and some look at the glass and see it knocked over and shattered; its content of red wine seeping through the linen table cloth, onto the white shag rug.

My glass is always over-flowing. 

This post is about you, it’s about me, and it’s about us. This may not make you happy, but I’m hoping it’ll make you smile. 

I dedicate today’s post to Mr. Homeniuk, my H.S. PE teacher. I owe a great chunk of my inner source of happiness and wonder to him.  I thank him for his Coconut story; it has touched many souls and countless coconuts along my mystic journey. I won’t share the story in its entirety here, because all great stories are never read, they’re always told… but for the sake of disclosure, I will reveal portions of it so you won’t feel completely lost.

Disclaimer* I’ve never (even when people asked me) made a copy of this story- the original is kept in a frame, and has traveled with me now for 6 years. If you feel like hearing the whole thing, you’ll just have to befriend me (which works out perfectly, because I love making new friends).

Coconuts and Turquoise Dreams is an original tale written by Daryl Homenuik. This short story (literally short, it’s only a page) starts by describing a magical place in a magical time that exists somewhere between never and always. Two coconuts, both from different places (one from the clear blue sea and one from the emerald green waters) meet each other as the two oceans merge into a turquoise dream. The story describes their encounter and how nonchalant they are about where they are going and whom they’re going to meet along the way. They bob and roll together- just happy to be alive in this magical dream where time is simply an illusion. As all stories go, the wind comes in on a different wing one day, and the coconuts start to drift away from one another, onto different waves and their next adventures. The coconuts, however, are not sad to see each other part, but are simply happy to have ever bumped into each other in the first place. As the waves eventually goodbye them, they share a common thought: “There goes a really good nut.“ The story ends at the beginning where it starts.  There are an infinite number of magical places and special times in this and every world- and right now, in some moment of magic in a far away dream, two coconuts are bumping into each other for the very first time.

Your friends and the connections you make are more important than you can ever imagine (and I’m not even talking about networking). There’s something cosmic about each and every one of my encounters. Each person holds a special place in my journey, and I’ve met many coconuts on many waves of the turquoise dream. My friends are my silver, platinum, and gold- they are my treasure. We were friends before we ever met-our paths were supposed to cross in some magical way in our turquoise dream. Think about where you’ve been, how far you’ve come, and the coconuts you’ve met along the way. It’s totally natural and far from groundbreaking, yet it is amazing- if you allow yourself to take it all in.

It’s comical how it only takes 5 minutes of peace to make you realize that we often fixate on the bad things so much that we forget about the good. We live in a world where happiness is ironically and sadly over-rated. Dreamers are considered to be “living with their heads in the clouds” and Happy People are considered “Characters” (with that inevitable sarcastic nose laugh and that face you make when you’re thinking, “are you for real?”) Yet it’s totally kosher that we spend tons of money on yoga, therapy, and meditation, just to get some clarity and peace of mind. These have all become the way in which we cope with life. Kind of silly, really. I’m not knocking our habits because I’m most definitely guilty of doing it, too. We are the product of our environment.  But the next time the volume gets too loud in your mind, take a moment to focus on the good and take time to smile and be appreciative of the people in your life. Your glass may not seem as empty as it did before.

You may read this and conclude that I’m just silly and naive- Don’t worry, you’re not the first and surely not the last!  I’ll just say what I always say - Hey, that’s okay with me.