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How's Obama going to explain great uncle Charlie Payne, the "Auschwitz Liberator" having been in the NAVY?

Did the Navy drive a boat up on shore, like one of those tourist "Duck" contraptions that float and drive?

it amazing how many times he puts his foot in his mouth and his followers come up with all kinds of explainations as to how he was "misquoted". being somewhat of a history buff, i seem to recall how the RUSSIANS liberated auschwitz late in the war. now i've heard how he was "mistaken" and actually meant buchenwald not auschwitz. doesn't matter, no navy man liberated any concentration camp unless it was in the pacific and even then, the army and the marines did that job, not the navy.

"You don't need to be on the same wavelength to succeed in marriage. You just need to be able to ride each other's waves."

Toni Sciarra Poynter

We lived on the Hawaiian island of Kauai for three years. While there we joined an ocean paddling club, Kaloa Outrigger Canoe Club, on the south shore of Kauai. Every Thursday afternoon, following work, we'd meet the rest of the club, put all three boats in the water, and off we'd go, paddling up and down the Kauai coast. It was, needless to say, invigorating, exhausting at times, and more than a little informative. In addition to learning a bit of the history of the island's people--we were two of very few Haoles in the boat--we learned things about the culture, the ocean, and about ourselves. Call it holistic paddling; being on the ocean was much more than simple exercise.

One of the lessons an ocean paddler learns right away is how powerful and unforgiving the ocean is. Yes, it's called the Pacific Ocean, but that doesn't mean it's benign. In fact, one thing the local people always said is to never turn your back on the ocean. Something else we learned was how quickly the boat would Huli, or capsize, if we failed to pay attention, or neglected its balance. The boat was configured in such a way that the steering position was in the rear, the last seat. In that aft position it wasn't unusual for the steering person to have their view ahead blocked for short periods of time, often as a wave crested in front of the boat. It would then be up to the team collectively to focus more intently than ever on the task at hand, staying upright, and keeping the outrigger on the water and moving forward. Indeed, if the team forgot the essentials, leaned too far away from the outrigger, known as the amah, or if the steering person aimed the boat at the wrong angle approaching a wave, the boat would Huli in a heartbeat. And the ocean is deep.

We came to compare the weekly paddling excursion as a microcosm of our marriage. Each required a great deal of attention; each one needed a fair amount of balance; and each demanded teamwork to make them proceed as smoothly as could be. The similarity didn't end there. Just as in the boat, someone needs to steer into whatever wave crest or surge confronts the two of us, the other has to advise of whatever may be approaching, and often the view ahead is blocked by whatever danger or obstacle lies at the fore, and then it's up to the one ahead to take corrective action.

Once, in a particularly choppy sea, with waves running four and five feet, we really had our work cut out for us. The boat was always more stable moving forward, and it was never a good idea to sit still in the water. That particular day the workout took us east along the shoreline till we were directly south of the little town of PoiPu. Nearly stopping in the water a number of times, we struggled to keep moving. The wind was up, and the ocean was a bit on the angry side, waves rushing at our little boat as fast as we could correct for them. As we approached PoiPu, we were into a stiff easterly breeze. It was tough paddling; with wave crests pushing back with growing force, progress was laborious. We knew, though, that turning back around, heading downwind, we'd have easier paddling, and would likely 'catch a bump' each time a wave picked us up and carried us along.

The steersman angled us back westward, and, with the following wind, we raced back to our little cove, riding waves, surfing down their billowing faces, the sea driving us home. We paddled, but mostly let the ocean do the work.

Marriage is often like that. There are numerous times when, due to a headwind of some kind, progress is so slow we feel like we're standing still. And these days society tells us it's not a good idea to stand still; we must keep moving at all times, or we go backward. I'm not sure why we believe that, but we all seem to think it's true. We allow the ocean of public opinion to impede our progress, even if we'd rather sit still and enjoy the glorious view.

Something that's equally true is that, as many newlyweds need to learn, there are tough times, to be sure. But as night follows day, they're followed by times when the wind is at your back, the waves carry you along, and the ocean of good sentiment, love, understanding, forgiveness and maturity drive you along back to your landing point and safe haven.

Our paddling sessions would end, we'd carry the boats back to their racks, rinse them off with fresh water, and gather in a prayer circle to express our gratitude for one more successful interaction with the sea. The Hawaiian people don't just live in close proximity to the sea; they live as if the sea is a helpmate, a faithful companion, and a benevolent friend. Sort of like we should feel about our spouse. When we arrive at that understanding, the waves diminish, the wind abates, and marriage becomes a more pacific experience, with an ocean of possibilities.

About the Author(s):
Byron & Mariah Edgington are the creators of Caffection, LLC dba Caffection, a marriage enrichment website. Caffection.com offers happy couples a portal for daily quotes, weekly affirmations, a monthly e-newsletter, exclusive gift items, seasonal and remembrance items, several interactive pages and entry to a newly identified, exclusive club of married best friends.

Got Caffection? Go to http://www.caffection.com, and find out.

Great Pacific Boats