Well, I can’t answer your question ... but I can relate to what you say, and share my own experience. I grew up in your neighboring state of Illinois, in a small town hugging (and sometimes lying under) the mighty Mississippi.
After a stint in the Air Force, I moved to O’ahu (otherwise known as the City and County of Honolulu) to attend Chaminade College ( which has subsequently promoted itself to university status). I worked for a few years before moving to the West Coast (family reasons). I didn’t plan to stay long—Hawaii remained in my heart.
But life has a way of spinning a web and holding us fast. Three years ago, I woke up, got dressed, went to my office in Seattle, shook hands with friends, colleagues and coworkers and walked out the door for the last time ... I had been away too long. 45 days later, I landed at Daniel Inouye International Airport and began the life that I always wanted to live ... and I have no recliner.
I write (not enough), I play (too much) and I keep whatever hours I want to keep. I am living in a tiny apartment in Waikiki, which is crowded, noisy and overrun with tourists. And I effin’ love it! Tourists come to the islands in pursuit of pleasure ... and I thrive on that energy.
Is it expensive? Oh hell yes. Is sea level rise a reality? Sorry Fox News, but the answer is yes, and America’s island state has enormous challenges in that regard. How about hurricanes? Well, we set just inside the northern boundary of the Pacific hurricane zone. Health care? We have a serious shortage of doctors. Cuisine? We have about 14 flavors of Spam (no, honesty, we really do—and people like it).
The mountains—sensational; the ocean—an azure gem. The weather—beats the hell out of a Polar Vortex. But the real prize is the people. Takes time to feel at home with a culture rooted in Polynesia, Japan, the Philippines and mainland America—with another seven or eight ethnicities adding spice. And you’ll never get there in a recliner—but in Hawaii you never really need to be indoors!
If Hawaii is truly in your heart and you have aloha ‘aina … you’ll get here. And when you do, you will know that you are home.
