Mahalo

Mahalo

Last week I was lucky enough to visit Hawaii for the first time. 5 days in paradise with my Grandparents and Uncles (yep lucky me). The New York winter had been harsh, 5 months of sunless days and my skin was now aching for attention. After 10.5 hours of flying from New York, I landed at Honolulu airport, suitcase and handbag in-tow. I made my way for the shuttle bus (Speedi-shuttle), handed my luggage to the driver and boarded the bus- onwards to vacation time! My stomach was home to a family of butterflies, I couldn't wait to be sheltered in the arms of my Grandma. As a child, all I wanted was to be an independent 'adult', making my own choices, but as an adult we all know the feeling too well of that lingering desire to be curled up on Grandmas couch, watching disney films, curtains drawn and not a care in the world (including what's for lunch- Grandma's got that sorted).

As we drive along the coastline, I realise how much I've missed this- the ocean, the outdoors, the SUN! As soon as I get off this bus, I'm headed for that ocean... I thought. 45 minutes later and we arrive at my resort. However, my luggage did not. It had vanished, was missing, lost, stolen, had disappeared... GONE! Keep your calm Rachel, it'll turn up. The driver assured me he would go back and find it- good! I hopped off the bus, greeted with big hugs from my family and despite the fact I only had Nikes, tights and the top I had been wearing for 12 hours... I was happy to be here. The ocean was lingering in front of my lunch table, but with no bikini it would have to wait. 

Hours and eventually days passed, and no luggage. The shuttle bus company taking no responsibility for misplacing/losing my luggage and I had to accept it was never coming back. My suitcase was big, and expensive- I had invested in that suitcase when I had moved to NYC assuming it would last me a good 10 years of travel. With a big suitcase, but only a short vacation I had stupidly thrown every summer item I own in that case. Shoes, dresses, bikinis, hats, skirts, shorts, jewellery and the list goes on. I couldn't believe it had happened. After years of travelling I had never lost a thing! "It's just stuff" I told myself, although I couldn't quite shake the feeling of my new pretty dress, never being worn, roaming Hawaii somewhere... My friend M rightly pointed out that "As morbid as it may sound, we don't cross to the other side with 'things'" and she was right, we don't. They're just things Rachel. The next 5 days was unexplainably amazing. 

"Time, when pursued like a bandit- will behave like one. At some point you have to stop because it won't. You have to admit that you can't catch it. That you're not supposed to catch it. At some point, you gotta let go and sit still and let contentment come to YOU".

For 5 days I got to spend real, uninterrupted time with my family. The laughs were contagious, the food was continuous and the memories will be forever. We sat around the table each night enjoying each other, Grandma and I swam with dolphins, and I mean freestyle swam through the water while the dolphin swam next to us... Grandma and I swam out to the pontoon and sunbaked, we drank from a pineapple and visited Pearl Harbour. I would lose that darn suitcase all over again to have that week. 

I've realised, how easy it is to get lost in 'things'. We 'nest', building our surroundings, filling our wardrobes, our bags and our lives with 'things'. I had just 'lost' thousands of dollars, but as cliche as it is, money couldn't buy the week I had spent with my family. Those memories will be forever. This entire time in New York is about the experiences, the people and the places... not the things I can buy to fill my suitcase. 

There on Kahala beach, I spent my week in 2 bikinis, 2 dresses and a pair of tights and Nikes. Less wardrobe changes than I've ever had, and what a good feeling that was. 

Mahalo. xxx