#aloha state

Hawai'i >>>>>

Lāhainā.

It's been several days since the wildfires overtook Lāhainā, Maui and we still haven't made contact with friends who live and work there. It's a sad waiting game.

Here on Oahu, the mood is sober. It feels like 9/12/01. People are trying to be upbeat, but collectively we're grieving, being retraumatized by each news cycle, video post, and casualty update. We're holding out hope for more rescues versus recoveries. But we're realistic. The fire was devastating. And even those fortunate to get out of town still had to travel miles down narrow roads, into the face of other fires, just to get out of West Maui.

Lāhainā isn't just a historic seaside tourist town, it was once the seat of the Kingdom. It's cultural significance was firmly established well before the overthrow. While there have already been pledges to rebuild, what we know is that it will never be the same. The spirit of Old Lāhainā is organic, sacred, and easy going like the great banyan trees on Front St. We pause, we pray, and we push on.

Wanderlust

Where will you go when this is all over?

#spreadgoodnotgerms