through the looking glass: haleakalā national park – home to maui’s highest peak, sits at 10,023ft above sea level.
it is my first valentine’s day as a married woman, but i must admit another man has already stolen my heart.
maui is far from home. like stupid far. flights are long and expensive. i know there will be years i will not see the girl with whom i once shared a one bedroom apartment. some years she will not see her family. i needed to know, to really know inside my bones, that my girl has a home in maui. that she has people on the island who love and understand her.
at the close of the hike i flew off the rocks, my feet thirsty for brick colored sand. i shimmied out of my dress, kicked my sandals to the side, and dove into the cool crystal water. rainbow fish darted between my legs.
i went to mass this morning. the service was held on a serene stretch of shore under a massive tree. the pastor wore sandals and a trucker hat. my girlfriend and i sat side by side on woven straw beach blankets.
there are a few stories i never tire of hearing. my all time favorite is one i have heard once a year… every year… since my very first year.
the door to the gym where i get my fitness on boasts a sign which brilliantly states: “because today is another chance to get it right.” this quote greeted me upon my first visit to the gym and has since served as a daily reminder to throw all my effort into each workout. as the days rolled on into a new year i began turning those words over in my head.
i kicked off the new year by scoring some old vinyl. after reading ‘shout it out loud – the story of KISS’s destroyer and the making of an american icon’ by my friend and author james campion i could not wait to get my hands on a vintage destroyer album.
while a new year can be the perfect time to make positive changes in our lives, resolutions can feel daunting. i am a firm believer in setting myself up for success. avoiding unnecessary, self imposed drama and pressure works best for me.
george washington bridge
