There Is Something About Mau`i

It was love at first sight when I saw Mau`I and ironically it was a meeting that almost did not happen.  It had been a rough year for me, one full of changes, good and bad.  Newly married, new home, job promotion but coupled with my grandmother’s fall leading to the decline of the woman who was the pillar of my childhood, the multitude of changes overwhelmed me.  The subsequent 9/11 attacks further stripped me of my remaining shred of security bringing me this close to canceling my trip.  Despite the ping pong of emotions the following 2 weeks, a small but gutsy voice that had yet to be silenced by my doubts won out and I was on my way to an encounter that would leave a lasting impression on me. 

It is hard to ignore that Hawai`i is aesthetically beautiful and is a big part why most visitors love it.  For me, it went far beyond the physical beauty and instead established an almost inexplicable emotional connection to the land and its people.  In a time when the nation was in absolute turmoil over the terrorist act, I almost felt an invisible embrace that created a safe haven for me.  In return over the years, I have fully embraced the experience of each visit by appreciating the richness in culture, food and people.  After returning 2 more times and the love strengthening with each visit, I decided that this was where I felt most at home so much so that I actually get homesick for Mau`i each time I leave.  With the housing prices beyond our reach, I settled for the next best thing and invested in a set time interval for a guaranteed 2 weeks a year and what better place to spend our birthdays and anniversary. 

 

Because we have set dates, there is such a camaraderie we have developed with other owners over the years who have also been bitten by the “aloha bug” or have become Hawaiian at Heart.