A Big Island Spring Break

Teachers across the world understand the importance of Spring Break for us and our students. If your school is like the one where I currently work then you and your kiddos didn't have a day off in the month March. I call it, The Real March Madness. So on the Friday kicking off our Spring Break I ran out the door after dismissal and didn't look back.

Spring Break each year for me falls around Easter and my Nana's Birthday. On her 90th birthday I accompanied her, my mom, aunts and goddaughter to Ghana. This year for her 93rd birthday, I tagged along again with my Nana, mom, aunts, cousin Anne, and my goddaughter this time to Big Island, Hawaii. I was excited to get away, soak in the warm weather, swim in the ocean, eat copious amounts of pineapple Hawaiian shaved ice and drink hella cocktails. I had just been to Maui in September so heading back so soon was indeed a blessing. Traveling to Hawaii from DC takes about 10 hours. That's not the fun part for sure, but once you are there, you're definitely in paradise. Aloha felt different this time as we were greeted by my cousin Eugene who adorned us with leis and a sense of pride he could not hide. He has been living in Hawaii for over 15 years now and has never been visited by his immediate family...until now. Having his sister Anne, his aunt Lucille (Nana), and his cousins (my mom and aunts) visit him was a dream come true. You could visibly tell he was overcome with joy that we all were there.

Big Island is in fact a nickname for the largest of the 137 Hawaiian islands. There are rainforests, black sand beaches, volcanoes, waterfalls, vast landscapes, lava rock fields and so much more. I first had a chance to visit Big Island in 2015 and remember falling off a jet ski into the Pacific Ocean. I was ready to do it again. We stayed in Hilton Grand Vacation Club Condos. The condos were roomy and easy to call home for the week. Access to a bidet in the bathroom didn't hurt either. Luxury for the sake of being luxurious is a vibe that I want to consistently request that the universe gifts me. My ancestors demand I have this amount of sheer ease and fantastical living. Self-induced reparations. 

The next day we followed my cousin Eugene in our possessed Nissan Armada on a scenic tour of the island. Madame Nissan had an opinionated mind of her own. They don't call Big Island big for nothing. It took hours to get from one end of the island to the other. We stopped for burgers and I had a burger with grilled pineapple on it. Delicacy is a virtue, ok?  Eugene shared his anticipation of our arrival with his church family and we went to his church and fellowshipped with them. They welcomed us with open arms, fed us, prayed/prophesied over us, and gave us a monetary gift to help us with travel expenses while on the island. They are living examples of Christ. Romans 15 stewards. It always feels warm and humbling to encounter people who treat others as Christ would. Goosebumps. 

On the last day we visited Eugene's home which was about 2 hours away from the mainland. He lives in the rainforest area of the island. We were greeted by his wife and their resident duck. We were introduced to their friends one of whom they affectionately call, "The Coconut Man." He cut open several coconuts for us to drink from and they all had their own unique taste. The Coconut Man, an expert coconut sommelier, explained why each coconut had its unique taste. There was even a champagne tasting coconut ya'll! We ate a family style dinner and dessert. We prayed, sang, and had communion to celebrate The Passover.

Seeing the world no matter how near or far always pushes me to reflect on my life. On this trip I adored the time I got to spend at the beach, laughing at my aunties and mommy's loudness, holding my Nana's hand, listening to the childhood rants of my charismatic goddaughter, joking through absurd encounters and being free from the angst being a teacher causes me, if only for a week. From this trip I gained more of an appreciation of my extended family. The ones I may talk to less frequently and some not at all. We all have an uncle or cousin "so and so" who you go years without seeing. They too need our love, prayers, and positive energy. I also am thankful for the gift of compassion and grace. Grace definitely is a buzzword I feel people throw around without knowing its true meaning. Pardoning grace on ourselves and others is indeed a spiritual act. True grace without expectation requires a surrendering to God for assistance. Grace is a divine acquisition. I admittedly don't always want to ask God to guide me through the act of grace. Especially when I am upset, feel mistreated, or compassion fatigued. But I deserve the healing that comes from the power of grace. Asking God to intercede so that you may impart grace on yourself and others, following his lead, ignites collective healing. Who else can go to bat better for you other than the Most High? Ain't no grace more sufficient, so yes, it's a spiritual matter. Spiritual not religious. There's a stark difference, but that's another time another post.

I left Hawaii with stateside burdens lifted.

I left Hawaii grateful that my Nana has seen 93 years of life.

I left Hawaii appreciative of the generations of amazing Black women that make up my family.

I left Hawaii with a second wind to chase my dreams beyond every sunset.

I left Hawaii in First Class thanks to long lasting friendship.

I left Hawaii with chocolate covered pineapple and pineapple gummy bears.

I left Hawaii with joy overflowing.

I left Hawaii ready for the next traveling adventure with my family.