A whiff of concern floats to me on the tropical breeze, but just like that it dissipates over the Pacific. The country unravels, it seems, while we romp on the beaches of The Big Island. We always hoped for a Hawaiian vacation for our family one day, and here it is at the very beginning of 2021, sooner than we expected, thanks to the pandemic driving airline ticket prices to irresistible lows.
We swapped snow for sand, so why not push away politics for plumeria too?
A mound of fresh blossoms on the table in front of me is ready for piercing in this lei making class the Sheraton Kona Resort offers. While the nation churns in her conflicts, beauty and fragrance meld in my hands. And I forget to worry.
… whatsoever things are lovely… think on these things.
The teacher of the class speaks, her words melodic even through her mask. Nothing about the task is difficult—only soothing—as we sew nature into necklaces with the longest needles I’ve ever seen. Soon, we wear our work.
And I can’t stop smiling.
(In upcoming weeks, I have stories to tell you about our Hawaiian adventures, but for now, enjoy some pictures from our lei making day.)
*Names in this blog have been changed to protect my family and friends in the neighborhood, and in a nod of appreciation to the beloved Swedish author Maj Lindman, I’ve renamed my three blondies Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka.