This present life

 One of the things I love about where I live just meters from the water and being on an atoll surrounded by water is the playfulness of the clouds, sunsets and reflections. The sun clocks off most days just before 7pm and I have swapped viewing the goings on in the world, aka the nightly news, to walking out my door and watching the screen that is the  sky.

 A touch of paridise on North Tarawa

Kiribati is a bit of a last frontier. It’s isolation to the rest of the world, it’s small land mass over a wast ocean and the environmental threats from population mass and rising sea levels sit alongside an amazing strong rich culture. With an unknown future, almost no prospects or resources of their own the I-Kiribati people continue to live as they have for generations, in the present. 
Isn't this something that the West spends millions on trying to achieve ! 

I often wonder what the future holds here and it can feel overwhelming and unknowable as to what assistance is of use, other days I am in awe of these peoples ability to live totally in the here and now. Tasks of subsidence living are done just for what is needed, no fishing for more than is required to eat today or cooking for tomorrow, a bus will get you to where you want to go and someone will feed the kids if they are left at the village. 

No planning seems to mean nothing can go pear shaped, therefore no disappointment and no stress.

 The West is a champion of stress and seems to be a champion at thinking everyone wants what we have. With the West comes stress and as more of that is introduced here the stresses will increase, already the health issues from Western influence are staggering. This is a whole other area, for the moment I'll keep with the clouds.

Halo from my front yard

 Over the pig pen

 

Sitting on the rocks watching as the end of the day turns the clouds and reflections into a playground of colour and movement is my moment of being very present and filled with changes every second. Sometimes it may be a soft glow in the sky, a rich bank of clouds, a darkness that captures the moist oppressive heat or a sky filled with layers dancing to their own tunes.

Front yard

Back at north Tarawa

There are many wonderful things about being really present and some that surprise.
Like the difference between feeling the rain or just getting wet, it’s ones thinking and acceptance that can turn a situation from anguish or aversion to a gift or treasure or to just being a moment in time.   
The clouds and I have became good friends, I’m watching them and trying to hold them still in many images. I’m not too sure how many photos are too many, this digital age allows access to trying to capture every one of those changing moments.

I like the idea of capturing these moments and I toy with the idea getting a better camera but for the time being my little point and shoot is doing Ok and is getting a work out.

UP NEXT : Leaving on a jet plane………..and maybe other old songs