One with Nature

As I may have mentioned earlier, Maili has had a lasting impression on me. Every time I try to voice the way this place makes me feel, I come up short. Like running into a brick wall, I can't seem to find the find the right words to do Maili justice. As frustrated as I may find myself, I can't help but wonder if the reason behind my inability to describe this place rests with the same reason why it is so incredible. A secret is only a secret if it is never told. The same holds true for Maili. It is wonderful because like a secret, no one knows about it.

Since my obsession with Maili lingered days after Alexa had arrived, I decided to share with her the place that had made my whole trip worth while. It took us roughly 3 hours to get to Maili from Hawaii kai and throughout the whole ride I continuously questioned whether it would be just as captivating as the first time I saw it. After stepping off the bus, with adrenaline running through my veins, I stood in amazement as I receieved exactly what I had been expecting, bliss.

On my first visit, I met one of the lifeguards, Ronald, who for the last ten years has enjoyed the luxury of Maili's magic from sunrise to sunset, five days a week. Within ten minutes of being on the beach, Ronald came walking over and introduced us to the other lifeguard, Kelly. I was perfectly content sitting on the beach, listening to the boys talk about their shared obsession with the Hawaiian lifestyle. But, out of no where, I was thrown off guard when Ronald invited me to go snorkelling. Having never tried it before, I was a little hesitant, but I threw my doubts aside and followed him out to sea.

Lesson number one, make sure the mask is secured tightly to your face. Lesson number two, you can't breathe through your nose. Lesson three, salt water does not taste very good. Lesson four, yes, you will encounter fish, don't panic. Silly me, I didn't read over the snorkelling guide and had to learn these four rules through experience. But after the horror of actually encountering sea life had subsided, I was able to enjoy the peaceful life of the ocean. That is until Ronald explained that the fish we were admiring were dinner, and the stick he had brought along was actually a spearing gun.

To my dismay, Ronald was an excellent shot. With a single shot he was able to spear his target, a talent that I've forgotten existed. There was something so basic to Ronald's actions that I had overlooked. He was an organic hunter; allowing his natural instincts to take over. For a moment as the once beautiful fish made its last struggle, I felt the guilt of a lost life burrow itself into my conscious. Ronald saw the heartbreak in my eyes and motioned to surface the water. As we bobbed along with the waves he reminded me of how things were in nature. He was right. We've forgotten what once came to us naturally. And as sobering as this thought is, the idea of breaking free from our sheltered lives comes to mind.

And for an hour I was able to do just that. I was able to breath in a life that I'd never had, see things I've only dreamed about, and touch the ocean floor as if it were an arms reach away. On our way back to shore, as I let the relief of not having encountered any sharks set in, I was taken back when Ronald began waving frantically, his expression wild. Shock came over me as I looked in the direction he pointed, and through strained eyes saw the sleak shilouette of a turtle. It was nature at its finest, and now, I can say that I was there.