Friday, September 1, 2023
August 2023 Well after a run of 14 newsletters, the last one being at the end of April this year, I have not sent a newsletter for three months now. April and May found my wife and I in Portugal, based in Alcácer do Sal where we have a town house. At some point during our two month stay I became unwell. Initially it appeared to be hay fever, allergies which I escape here in Hawai’i.
🤪 I was going to do something, look something up, and now (two minutes later) cannot remember for the life of me what that was??
🤪 I was going to do something, look something up, and now (two minutes later) cannot remember for the life of me what that was??
I’m more than a little out of practice with yoga right now. This morning I took a one and a half hour class. Plenty of shaking limbs and hard breathing as I tried to maintain the postures. The class finished four and half hours ago, and I am still feeling it.
Monday, August 28, 2023
As the result of an email that I received late on Friday night, Saturday saw me out at Lahaina Gateway, volunteering with the relief effort for those effected by the wild fires almost three weeks ago. Volunteers met up in the town of Wailuku, on the north west side of the island, at 7:45am Saturday morning. A group of sixty two volunteers had shown up. About half had been over to Lahaina before, half had not.
Finished reading: A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers 📚
☔ It’s pouring here in Haiku.
☔ It’s pouring here in Haiku.
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
As Maui cycles through the year, I can feel as the island breathes its way through the ebb and flow of visitors. There are deep intakes of breath as the island fills up during the seasonal holidays, and then exhales as visitors leave and Maui quietens down during those in between times when kids are back at school. Right now it feels as though the island has taken a huge exhale.
Rain is pouring outside as I type this. Grey clouds hang low. The ocean, in the distance, is obscured from view. The clouds might lift briefly revealing all that is currently hidden from view, including the blue sky and sun, but this wet weather feels like it is the dominant feature of today. And right now, that is welcome. Stay at home, quiet. No sense of being pulled outside.
Yesterday afternoon I just wanted to breathe some fresh tree air, and headed up to the Каhаkарао Loop Trail. Two and half hours later, and just over six and a quarter miles under the belt, I was back at the truck. A beautiful and welcome hike.
I am hearing of a lot of grass roots relief efforts that just came together following the wild fires that hit Maui just under two weeks ago. The wife, Jen, of a good friend of mine normally leads snorkeling tours. Just after the fires company used their boat to ferry supplies to those still in and to the north of Lahaina. NPR covered the story twice.
The first time contains pictures of their efforts.
A few days later they published the story again, this time just words, and no pictures.
Allowing people to tell their stories, enables them to release the pressure that they hold.
I’m not long back from my weekly men’s group. I am so grateful for this group, especially at this time here on Maui. A group of men who I get to know that little bit more each week. A group of men with whom I can sit and be honest and real with. A place for accountability, vulnerability. For listening, support, maybe challenged at times….but never judgement.
In the presence of giants. Driving through a forest of Red Woods last week in Northern California.
I always say that I will make a Mana Foods' cookie last, but never succeed. They are so good.
I returned home yesterday to rental cars parked up in the fields around the airport here on Maui. I hadn’t seen that since height of COVID. Then, with no visitors on the island, there was nowhere (apart from the fields around the airport) to park up the huge excess of unwanted rental cars.
This time, with so many visitors leaving in the wake of the devastating wild fires, there is again no room in the garages for the unwanted rental cars.
🏝️ I’m starting the journey back to Maui. I’m both wanting to be back home and anxious as to what I am returning to (though very gratefully, my home is safe).
🏝️ I’m starting the journey back to Maui. I’m both wanting to be back home and anxious as to what I am returning to (though very gratefully, my home is safe).
I’m missing Sea Ranch already, but I’m also missing home given what has happened in Maui. I’m heading back there tomorrow.