I joined project gratitude last January and I am still grateful for many things including the fact that I can visit this beautiful place as often as I want.

This year I have been posting less and my posts have gotten further apart. I have not been commenting on other blogs as much either, as I am sure my blogging friends have noticed.

I have a confession. I have known about the oxygen mask project for a while, but I have been too busy participating in putting my oxygen mask on to write the blog post. Then I saw Spectrummy Mummy’s post, Breathing Freely after she mentioned it on Twitter and I realized that I need to write the post.

Many of you know that I fell last May and had a lumbar compression fracture as a result and later learned that my osteopenia has developed into osteoporosis. My daughter had setbacks related to prior bullying this past year too. I began to lose my positive outlook as a result.

I have always exercised and spent time in nature although in recent years I have not exercised as regularly as I should. My injury prevented me from doing this when I needed an outlet the most. Therefore, I am grateful that I am able to take long walks with my dogs again even if I now also take one of my walking poles for added balance to prevent falling when my dogs pull.

I also found myself yearning to visit the Buddhist temple, Byodo-In Temple. It is one of my favorite places on the island, but I did not feel up to going until recently.

It is a beautiful place to visit and one that I have visited many times. Yet, I have been away for four years. The temple, like me is older and needs some work, but it appears that they are doing the needed work and the beauty is still present.

The koi in the pond have aged and it appears some have died, but the pond has young koi now so I assume they recently restocked. Some of older koi have sores, but even they are still pretty. I hope the owners will keep the population of the koi smaller to keep them healthy.

The wild peacocks were missing, but black swans seem to have taken their place.

I am honoring my spirit and love of nature by taking pictures and by reconnecting with places on Oahu that I fell in love with years ago, but that I have not visited recently because like too many moms I have been focusing on my children when I was not working.

I am even noticing views I might not have paid much attention to in years past like the back side of the temple.

Yes, I am joining the oxygen mask project and trying to remember to take care of myself first to have more energy and a healthier spirit to take care of others. I hope you will join too if you have not already.