MAUI | A Time to Plant & A Time to Uproot

“There is very little difference between burying and planting. For often, we need to put dead things to rest, so that new life can grow. And further, the thing put to rest—whether it be a loved one, a dream, or a false way of seeing—becomes the fertilizer for the life about to form. As the well-used thing joins with the earth, the old love fertilizes the new; the broken dream fertilizes the dream yet conceived; the painful way of being that strapped us to the world fertilizes the freer inner stance about to unfold.” 

-Mark Nepo 

When I stepped off the plane, I inhaled the best air of my life- plumeria, gardenia, and that sweet earthy smell of palm leaves. My heart was beating out of my chest. I was so excited and happy to be in Maui. 

We flew into Kapalua Airport- the best. It’s small, tropical and tiki. Warm island breeze, brilliant floral scents and leis everywhere. 

Ah, we finally made it. 

The first few nights we stayed at an Airbnb just north of Kaanapali. Every day we went to fun restaurants, enjoyed our umbrella drinks, walked to the beach, swam, drove up to places we’ve never been. Aaron has been to Maui 10+ times, and I have 8 times- there’s so much to see that we never knew was here!

Every day we are learning something new. Learning more about ourselves and being together. Digging deeper - emotionally and spiritually. 

We were both filled with nerves during our four ‘vacation days’ when we first arrived. The last 2.5 months in Seattle have been very hectic - it feels like we haven’t had a chance to look each other in the eye for longer than 10 seconds without running off again to complete another task. There is so much we are trying to process internally, but also trying to understand how the other is processing it all too. 

We are here though- finally! So grateful we can replant, grow, and (hopefully) bloom while we live in Maui. 

 As most of you know, we felt a bit “un-fruitful” in Seattle (I’ll keep going on with the “tree/bearing fruit” metaphor). We both felt a nudge deep within us to leave our homeland and start anew. 

I think, sometimes, we have to move away from the place we love and grew up, and move away from the people who know us and our past, to see ourselves clearly. You can create for yourself, in a sense, a safe place to start healing some pain and hurts with no expectations, and no one watching. 
I think that I get caught up in expectations of others, and I fear that others might compare me to my past self and therefore, it’s hard for me to fully grow into who I now want to be. Or who Aaron and I want to be together. 

There is a time for everything and we feel, for the first time in a while, EXACTLY where we need to be. We are so grateful to have the space and time to explore ourselves, and we’re praying constantly for some 'life-direction' from God. 

If it wasn't for the random Hawaiian Christmas songs on the radio, and the few Christmas lights on hotels & homes, there would be no way of telling it's Christmas time here in Maui - There's still that wonderful smell of sunscreen, the feel of warm sun on my skin, the light blue salty waves still lift my body and fill my pores. 

It's so blissful here. 

The other night Aaron and I set up our hammock between two palms at Launiupoko Beach (down the street from the Dragon Fruit Farm we're now living/working at). 

As all the tourists packed up and left, and we just laid there and watched the sun dip below the island of Lanai. The stars came out above the palms, and we embraced the feeling of being home. 

It's a weird feeling living here. Forever we've been tourists, staying in beautiful hotels on the 'nicest parts' of the island-  but now, we're living in the opposite way (like literally a step above a homeless shelter 😂) but it's wonderful. We wouldn't want it any other way. 

Aaron's Hawaiian Koa Ring & my Hawaiian blue Opal ring :) As Aaron likes to say, we got "Re-Mauied."  

Stay Tuned... Next post, "The Farm" - I'll tell you all about the first day we came to work/live on the Maui Dragon Fruit Farm. Definitely not what we expected, but after a week, it's beginning to grow on us. 

❥ Love you All ❥