Some vacations are really no vacations at all. We go with expectations and find ourselves disappointed when we realize that where we went is really nothing at all like we wanted it to be. We wonder why we ever thought we should travel there, and nothing, absolutely nothing, is right about anything. The flight sucked, the hotel was simply wrong, the food involved things one would never order, the weather was too hot or too cold. It was raining or snowing or just dreary. 

I am pretty convinced now this disappointment had nothing to do with the destination – it was all about what we wanted, what we expected, what we thought we deserved. 

Such self-absorbed people we can be. 

Me, Me, Me… 

Last week I had a magical, mystical vacation on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. I went with no expectation other than spending a week with my boy. What I came home with was a new lease on life. A new attitude.  A new resolve. 

This is what I learned from my boy, the magical, mystical Island, and the people who live there; 

• It is not all about me.  
• It is about forgiveness – for yourself and for others. 
• Things do not matter.  
• People matter.  
• Love matters.  
• Kindness matters. 
• Compassion matters. 
• Words matter 
• Wherever you are in your life – celebrate it. 
• Watch sunsets wherever you are – as often as you can and bring a picnic with you. 
• Do the things that bring you joy. 
• Be with people who value you. 
• Slow down – it will all get done. 
• Embrace the moments, even the smallest things are a gift. 
• Do not settle. Ever. 
• It is not on us to change people. We can accept them for who they are and love them where they are – or we can bless them and let them go. It is not for us to try and change them. 

Aloha is not just a word used for tourists. The Aloha Spirit is a real thing. It embraces peace, compassion, affection, and friendship. The people who live their lives in this Paradise have much to teach those of us who live here on the mainland.  

It is not perfect – no place is – but it is different, and its beauty is not just in the mountains or the stunning waters that surround it. The beauty lies in the people of all cultures who have made this island their home. It is not just white people who think they have some sort of power because of their whiteness – it was all colors sitting on the beach celebrating the setting of the sun. 

This adventure renewed me in ways I did not know I needed to be renewed. My boy knew, and the Island of Oahu knew. 

For all their love… 

I am forever grateful 

Until next time 

XOXO