My New Perspective — Honeymoon Reflections

Flight

There’s something about being in the air, hovering over a sea of white fluffy cotton balls that just fills me with so much gratitude. Maybe it’s because I’ve only flown once before over 10 years ago, so flying is still a new-ish experience for me. Maybe it’s something about being so far away from the ground that you have no choice but to consider everything around you and above you. Either way, being in the clouds allowed me to reflect on what a privilege it is to not only fly in a plane but to also fly to Hawaii.

There’s a running joke in my family and in my therapy sessions that Marlon and I have severe bad luck. If you think of one of the worst things that can happen to you in any given situation, I can bet that it has happened to us… more than once. That joke has always had some sense of truth to it, but being in the clouds has me thinking differently. Looking at the hard work and dedication that Marlon and I put in to get here, there’s no bad luck to be found in our household, and this feeling of being blessed rather than cursed has hovered over me throughout our honeymoon.

Culture

While we were only in Hawaii for a week, I feel like I’ve learned so much about Hawaiian culture through my experience with some of the locals. Marlon and I took an all-day tour around the entire island of O’ahu, and our tour guide, Earl, introduced us to so much of the island’s history and customs. One of the most impactful memories that I took with me from our day with him was when he introduced us to his nephew who owned a fruit stand on the outskirts of Honolulu. His nephew came onto the bus and demonstrated with Earl how they greet each other; they call the greeting, “Ha,” which means breath of life.

They pressed their foreheads and noses together, breathed, and then pressed the left side of their chests together. At the time, I didn’t know the reason why the greeting was so special because they hadn’t explained it yet, but somehow, I could feel it as I witnessed them close their eyes and just breathe. This greeting is so special because by pressing their foreheads and noses together, they are breathing life into each other. Now, the nephew will go about his day and carry his uncle with him because he breathed life into Earl, and similarly, Earl will carry his nephew with him throughout the day as well. In pressing the left side of their chests together, they allowed their heartbeats to connect, which means that at some point, their heartbeats will sync and beat together, connecting them even more. It was such a powerful and beautiful thing to witness.

While staying in Hawaii, I also learned how valuable the locals view the act of kindness. Every small business that we visited had the friendliest staff who were humble, gracious, and so incredibly kind. They welcomed us with open arms, answered our questions, introduced us to their culture through food, language, and dance, and shared their knowledge about the island’s history with us. We learned all about the kind deeds that Queen Emma did, such as establishing a hospital in Honolulu to help them fight off diseases and founding a school for girls when she realized that they were not given the same quality education that boys were given. The locals spoke of her with such pride and encouraged us all to show kindness in our everyday lives, just as Queen Emma did in the 19th century.

Trying New Things

When in one of the most beautiful places in the world, you tend to try things you normally wouldn’t, and that’s exactly what we did. One of my favorite things we did was take a helicopter ride over the island… with the helicopter doors off. When I proposed the idea to Marlon, he was so surprised that I offered to do something so wild because I never would have done it if we were back home. It got me thinking, “Why wait until you’re thousands of miles away from home to be adventurous?” I might be missing out on tons of amazing opportunities right in my backyard simply because I had the mindset that adventurous outings can only be done when on vacation. After that incredibly thrilling experience, I never want to be filled with regret, always wondering what would’ve happened if I just took a risk.

Final Thoughts

Although our vacation was intended to celebrate our marriage, albeit almost 4 years later, it was a vacation filled with lessons that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. On the flight, I learned to view the blessings in my life exactly as they are — blessings and privileges. Through immersing myself in Hawaiian culture, I learned the importance of looking for ways to carry my loved ones with me throughout the day. I also remembered the value of kindness and how impactful it is to give to others without expecting anything in return. In my search to try new things that I’d never do, I understood that I am standing in my way of new experiences that could be right in my neighborhood.

I encourage you all to open your eyes a bit more the next time you go on vacation. Yes, I want you all to have fun and get some relaxation, but be sure to look for opportunities to learn because these experiences and opportunities can help you grow in ways you’d never expect.

If you’d like to see more photos, look below the quote!

“Travel is rich with learning opportunities, and the ultimate souvenir is a broader perspective.” – Rick Steves