Boarded the plane at 10 am Sunday morning. I can't lie, I was feeling a little apprehensive about leaving work/life for so long.
As we started to land in Honolulu five hours later, something inside me just "clicked". For 17 days, I was to relax and enjoy myself. We would be getting picked up by friends at the airport in only a few minutes. And in less time I would feel that familiar hot, humid air.
Just before we touched down, I caught a glimpse of the lush vegetation and bright red dirt outside my tiny window. On the other side I could see the blue waters that Hawaii does oh-so-well. My heart started to thud. It all became so real in that moment. My eyes filled with tears as I looked at Scotty and said, "Just you wait, I'm gonna be so good with our money so that I can work less and we can still do stuff like this often. I don't care about all the 'stuff' I've been buying... this is what I want. In this moment I am SO happy. Just you wait."
It's something that has been very close to my heart lately.
Just 3 weeks ago I met Ang on a rainy afternoon at "Indigo Books." I was on a hunt to a money management book. I know it's supposed to be "common sense," but I wasn't raised in a culture of "common sense"... I was raised in a culture of consumerism. Every freaking time I turn on the TV, I swear I walk away wanting something (I didn't know I even needed) so badly I can taste it.
I'll be honest. Those advertisements work real well on me. I'm so dumb that I even have stacks of advertisements sitting in my house that I like to leaf through for "fun." Can't get rid of them, I paid at least $5 a piece for them.
Ridiculous.
But that's me. So I think I could afford to learn a thing or two about money management. Yes, we've avoided the debt-monster, but I also work more that 2 full time people...
There's gotta be a better way than this.
We searched that money management section for quite some time before settling on this book (you wouldn't believe how many "Get Rich Quick" books there were that promised me that I would be a millionaire in only a few years... bah-humbug). I fully expect that the message will be "don't buy crap," but I need to read that over and over again before being totally motivated. I know me, and books can do a lot for my motivation. I once trained for a half marathon simply because I bought a book that motivated me and went on to run another one and a couple 10k races. Books hold a weird power over me.
Getting off that plane and being hit by a wall of humid, hot air pushed me a little further..."this is a feeling I could (and will) get used to." As we waited for our luggage to drop onto the belt, I kept turning the idea over an over in my head: I will work enough so that I can pay for our living and for Scotty's school, but all the "stuff" I've been buying doesn't equal life... what we're doing right now is life... I need to make sure that we can do this often (through saving... not just making money- I know I can do that, but the quality of my life when playing the part of the workaholic is questionable).
Ang and Domi pulled up in a small pick-up truck, flashed us the "shaka" and hoped out with huge grins on their faces as they placed lei's around both our necks. I remember that I felt miles away from both of them, as if I was in a different world. They had been here a week and already it showed. They both seemed so darn happy and relaxed.
Domi and Scotty climbed in the back of the truck as Ang and I excitedly climbed into the cab and headed for Kalihi, our home for the next 17 days.
As we drove up into the little neighbourhood nestled into a lush, green valley, I knew I was in for some culture shock. It's not at all like the Hawaii I've experienced as a tourist... this ain't no Waikiki.
I kept saying to Ang, "I feel like I am in South America." From my past experiences here, it's been like going to Vancouver in a much warmer, humid climate with whiter sand and bluer water... but I live on the mainland and feel like a tourist even in Vancouver. Kalihi is were Hawaii's people live. The houses are different than ours. They're smaller and closer together. The streets are narrower, and most of them don't have much of a yard, but the people here don't seem to have much use for a back yard because they open up their garages and use them as makeshift patios, living rooms and dining areas. They would rather be out front in case a family member or neighbour might walk by and need a bite to eat, or just want someone to sit with. I've already seen more hospitality here, in the garages, than I've seen back home in our big, fancy homes that could actually fit entire square blocks inside. People actually know their neighbours and seem to always have time for their family. It's good that the roads aren't too wide, or the houses much further apart because it would just make it that much harder to get your neighbour's attention to say hello.
As we pulled up to the Doliente's house, I fell a little bit in love. Real Hawaii. We're not tourists, we're guests, and during a time when I want to figure out how to make my life more simple, I get to live in a neighbourhood where people don't care much for the excess, they're too busy visiting with family and friends after church- joining around plastic tables in the garage to share food and life.
We quickly changed into our swimsuits and climbed into the back of the pickup truck to head to the beach to enjoy the last few rays of sun.
Scotty wasted no time throwing on his snorkel gear.
I cannot even begin to describe how blessed I feel to be sharing the next few weeks with these two. I am certain it'll be a life-changing time for me.
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