“Somebody ought to tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit every minute of every day. Do it, I say, whatever you want to do, do it now.” — Michael Landon
This young 21 yr old attended several churches, prayed over
strangers, hiked in the snow, bungee jumped 145 ft over a river, got a tattoo,
slept in a sleeping bag on concrete to raise funds and awareness for the
homeless, shaved her hair off for Cancer and so much more!
As I travelled on the plane to Maui, it was evening and the
sounds of the jet engines were my only company. My anxiety was at high levels,
given that I was staying two weeks with a lady I had never met. Past horror
stories about answering ads came to mind, yet after a flurry of emails
exchanged back and forth, I felt confident my trip would come together. I never
could have imagined the adventures I would be taken on…
The lady I stayed with had incredible connections and knows
many people. She likes her privacy and that is why I am respecting hers by not
divulging further information- only about the escapades I was fortunate to be
part of. This included a trip to a well known resort on Maui that saw me stand on
the beach and listen to the band HEART, perform for a private function. Soon we
were off to Comedy night, which had an array of talent that Shayla would have
enjoyed. The next day, I was having a hard time containing my excitement…I was
thrilled knowing that on that same sprawling beach from the evening before, I
would be seeing Maroon 5...for FREE! I recall looking up at the Hawaiian sky bursting with
stars and seeing the pounding surf. In front of me I listened to Maroon 5 belt
out my favourite song, “She Will Be Loved” and feeling a surge of energy
throughout me. After an incredibly stellar concert, a burst of colour exploded behind me...I watched in awe as the Pacific Ocean was lit up by a phenomenal display of fireworks! I could only wonder how the night possibly was to turn out any better? As I write this, I am still smiling about that remarkable night!
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| Adam Levine and his band Maroon 5 perform a concert in Maui, Hawaii on February 26, 2014. |
One thing I could depend on was the lady I stayed with had spontaneity! She had this way of convincing me to join in fun things that
were only made possible because of her vibrancy. She drove me to the charming,
historic IAO theatre for a fabulous dress rehearsal performance of “LA CAGE AUX FOLLES!” I kept
on thinking I was living vicariously through my daughter’s care-free spirit.
Next was an unexpected trip on the Road to Hāna. I had always wanted to seek
this legendary expedition and now I was being granted my wish. I had researched this tour before, when I was on Maui, on my previous trip. I knew it was a good
idea given the nature of the road, to take two GRAVOL® Natural
Source® Ginger Tablets. Take my word for it, after spending an
entire day of travelling over 59 bridges and winding around 620 curves through
the tropical rainforest, having anything to assist with keeping your lunch down
is a bonus!
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| This is the more reliable, less scary part of the road |
This leads me to share about the foods I was privileged to taste,
such as White Macadamia Banana Bread, divine avocadoes in sizes I have never
seen and Coconut Candy that made living in the jungle, quite appealing.
There
are also “Honesty Boxes” that have a simple display of fruits and vegetables
for sale, but no one around. The locales trust that if you want something, you
will pay for it and place your money in a box, where later it will be
collected. I found this to be a lovely gesture of trust.
Another highlight
was the discovery of a gentleman who had trained birds to perch all over you
and for a minimal price, your picture was taken. I thought this was simply
brilliant! Later we carried on to more exploring and sight-seeing. I felt that
I had fulfilled my desire to see the Road to Hāna, in one of the most
exhilarating ways, thanks to the lady who kindly took me on this whirlwind trip!
Later that week, I would honour yet again, the memory of my
beloved Shayla. I had brought with me from Canada, 24 white rose plastic
floater candles. They were unique in how they became illuminated by water
activation and not batteries. I went to the pond where my daughter’s ashes had
been released and took a piece of driftwood from the beach. I wrote in the wet
sand “Be FREE, S.D.” At first I was assuming that I was the one writing the message,
and then it occurred to me… it was actually my daughter who wanted me to be
released- to Be Free. She was guiding me from the Heavens… to share it was okay
for me to start over; to make a new beginning. It was an invisible sweet
embrace that held within it, a better understanding of my purpose for coming to
Maui- something beautiful.
There are many things that occurred on the Island that will be
forever written on my heart. Some of these cherished memories I have decided
not to share and I will not be posting the many videos that I do have of my
trip to Maui. Sheltering my heart and privacy is important to me as I have
opened up much to the world. From the depths of my soul, I have found peace in
knowing that I am in control of the parts of me I give willingly. The past has
taught me that not everyone has your best interests, yet Shayla’s death shed
light on the importance of taking risks. I walk a fine line between the two as
a storyteller, knowing the most magnificent writers never divulge every tale in
its entirety.
By TL Alton
