by Linda Samulski
It’s been a rough couple of years for me and my husband Tom. Care-giving for his mom, who had dementia, and her passing, and our own health challenges made our lives very stressful, so we decided to take a little vacation to Hawaii.
From the time we left the Ontario airport in California on Hawaiian Airlines ‘til the time we returned home, we were shown nothing but kindness. While in the Navy, Tom had been stationed near Honolulu for 11 years, so it made me so happy to hear the joy in his voice when we landed. As soon as we arrived, we hit the ground running. No time to waste, as seven days go very fast when you are having fun.
We did several things that tourists do: a luau, going to the beach, an ocean cruise, shopping, and eating.
We took the Polynesian Canoe Day Cruise. This is a wonderful cruise, not for your everyday tourist. You really learn about Hawaiian culture and history. One of the boat tour guides showed me how to make a ti-leaf lei for my husband, and my husband made one for me. There was no issue with me being blind. I was accepted as I am — what a refreshing feeling! The best part of the cruise was when my husband and I did the “honi,” a Hawaiian embrace, placing our nostrils next to each other and inhaling the same breath together. It is sharing the Breath of Life. It reminded me of the traditional Hawaiian values for any relationship. They are: caring, compassion, patience, humility, and perseverance.
Another highlight of our trip was when we went to the beach at Haleiwa (North Shore). We walked out onto and touched the huge rocks of an ancient lava flow. The smell of the ocean and hearing the ocean’s great waves filled my senses and was spiritually awesome. While there, we decided to sit in little chairs that we had purchased. After sitting for awhile, when I stood, my chair tipped, and I fell in the sand. Lying there, I found I couldn’t move, the sand was holding me down. All kinds of thoughts went through my head! Paramedics? No, not that! Thanks to my hero husband, he was able to help me get back up, and I wasn’t hurt. We went on our merry way enjoying the rest of our day.
The figurative, and literal, icing on the cake was the night before we left Honolulu. Art Cabanilla, president of the Hawaii Association of the Blind, and several members came to celebrate my birthday. I was presented with a wonderfully scented floral lei which opened my spirit and senses to the love I was shown. Meeting all of them was like having a family reunion. Our “Ohana” (extended family) sister Natalie and I shared my huge piece of birthday cake, and we met in the middle. Meeting everyone there made my birthday so special, and Art and his chapter will always be in our hearts.
While in Hawaii, people asked us if we were celebrating anything special. We said, “Yes. We are celebrating life and love.” I’m sure that the cherished memories we acquired while there will carry us over for whatever life has for us in the future.