Miko & Maui Sweet Maui

Aloha All,

Tonight I had a reminder of just how fortunate I am. Natalie and I returned yesterday from 4 sweet days on my beloved Maui (visiting Grandma and Grandpa). She had an absolute blast playing with them and swimming. Maui is the precious place of my wedding day and honeymoon, then 2 years later carrying Natalie in my belly, plus a few other great memories. West Maui does not disappoint. For me, the landscape is what true paradise looks likes. Staying at Napili Resort is what paradise feels like: perched on the ocean the views are incredible, sunrises and sunsets and all minutes in between, walking toward Kapalua, swimming in the ocean at Napili Bay, Sea House Restaurant (had my wedding dinner there), snorkeling, seeing turtles all day long from the lanai, hearing the ocean waves while falling asleep, immaculate units, swimming pools - what more can one want? I tend to reflect a lot while travelling as I am sure many people do and feel grateful for the ability to have the experience. Being able to see such beauty, the ability to go to different parts of the world is so wonderful. To have my girl with me (sorry Paul who had to work!) was amazing. This, in a way, was our first Mommy/Daughter girls trip and I loved travelling with her - she's becoming more grown up and can do her own hair and picks her own outfits and rummages through the fridge for snacks:). This evening Paul, Natalie and I head to the beach with our picnic supper from Whole Foods and we are approached by a little girl who introduces herself as "Miko". She first entertains us a few minutes by showing us her dancing and her music (an aluminum can filled with sand that she shakes for her music:). Natalie was shy to play and interested in a swim with Daddy but I keep talking to her. In our discussion, I come to discover this little girl lives in a van. She tells me how the couch turns into a bed and there's a table for eating and sometimes it's cold at night. She stays there with her dad sometimes and sometimes stays with her mom at her mom's place. She has never left the island of Oahu other than once as a baby to Japan. She asks if I have been to other islands and I feel guilty telling her 'yes'. I wished we hadn't eaten all of our supper and could have shared with her. She called Oahu a country and describes it as being such a big country. While she tells me this I wonder how she would feel if she knew Natalie is only four and got to go on a whale watching tour and drive the boat on the ocean - I feel sad for Miko but happy for Natalie. Miko is seven, she is sweet and her face is burned in my brain forever as well as our conversation. I thanked Miko for the nice conversation as we parted ways.

Lisa