You know it when you see it. You've heard it, experienced it. It moves you, drives you, takes you from a place of existing to a place of truly living. It propels us to heights we never knew existed, gives us purpose beyond our wildest dreams. We sometimes dismiss it, but can't live without it... Passion.
When I think of passion, there are a few people that immediately come to mind. Each of them live out their lives in a way that is wholly unique, beautiful and inspiring. I am so happy to introduce you to these incredible ladies.
Kelia "Sister" Moniz is probably one of the most beautiful, down-to-earth, talented 18-year olds you will ever meet. She exudes a confident grace beyond her years. You just have to do a quick Google search to find that she has made quite a name for herself. There is no question that her natural beauty, raw talent and amazing style lands her on the cover of magazines, ad campaigns and store windows. But it's not just her pretty face or surfing success that makes her star shine bright, it's her incredible love for life, for her family and for all those around her. I am so glad that my little girls have Sister to look up to - truly a young woman that exemplifies passion, both in and out of the water. Keep your eye on this one - she has an amazing life ahead of her.
My dear friend Vanessa is one of the sweetest souls I know. She is a rare find - genuinely loving, compassionate and kind, but equally intelligent and creative. She is the artistic force behind Little Dew Drops, an organic children's clothing line. Vanessa creates all her own designs and hand-cuts them into stencils. Her designs reflect her passion for children, the environment and her faith. What started as an idea has flourished into an amazing clothing line that can be found on-line and in retail stores across Hawaii. Not only has she grown a business, but she did it while raising three incredible children. Visit her store and see for yourself what happens when passion picks up a paintbrush.
Ten years ago, I met Marion Reyes-Burke. Radiant and smart, with a contagious laugh you could hear from across the room, Marion became one of the top students of our law school class. I loved her energy, her ability to smile through the most grueling lecture, and her style - always dressed like she had somewhere to go, she carried herself with confidence and grace. I wasn't surprised when she became an associate attorney at one of the top law firms in Honolulu. I must say though, I was a little surprised when she completely reinvented herself and became a triathlete. As though being a wife, mother and high powered attorney isn't enough, the woman who learned to swim shortly before starting law school and never ran seriously decided it would be "fun" to start training for triathlons. The rest is history.
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| Coming out of a 400 m swim at her first triathlon in May 2008 |
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| April 2009 - First race back after a bike crash resulted in an injury to her left arm that required surgery and rehab. |
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| June 2010 - Marion's first half-Ironman. Sprinting to the finish line to beat 7 hours. The look on her face says it all. |
These women are among many others in my life that continually inspire me. They turn ordinary surfboards, paintbrushes, and bicycles into something beautiful. That's the power of passion.
Who inspires you?
Kim
It may sound funny but one person that inspires me to be a good mom is my daughter, Christina. She is a very loving, caring, giving, compassionate, thoughtful and kind hearted person. She is 16 years old and has friends as young as 2 years to adult. She doesn't care how old you are and she will hang out with you and make you feel special. She cares what happens to you, will stay up to talk to you if you need a friend to talk to or she will even go out and about with you even if it is late and she is dead tired. On your birthday she treats you and makes you feel like a queen (or king) and bake you a treat from the heart. She babysits all the kids in our complex and the kids just love her. I told her she will be a great mom someday (but just not too soon). This in turn inspires me to love my kids even more and to always make them feel special. But what inspires me the most is that she pushes me to exercise when I don't have the energy. She says "Let's go mom to zumba". We go and have a blast. I have diabetes and need to lose weight to try to get off my meds and she is there to help me. She is my cheerleader and a great daughter. She inspires me to get healthier, to exercise, to be a great friend and to love with all your heart. She is only 16 so imagine all of the great things she can contribute to this world when she becomes an adult. Thanks Kim for your blog as you are an inspiration, a great mother and a great person. Love and Aloha, Kim Holt
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post. I am inspired by people like you that are willing to live a genuine life in the open, "Thrive Out Loud", wrestle with the hard things, celebrate the victories and strive for something greater. I think it would be amazing to see you organize your thoughts into a book!
ReplyDeleteActually, you inspire me with the words you put on paper.... keep the passion in you going..... xox tam
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