Hawaiian rollercoaster Ride

I was in Honolulu, Hawaii for a little over a week for an astronomy conference, after which I spent some time staying with a good friend from college. The conference was held at a pretty controversial time; local protests of a new telescope had taken place just the week before, blocking all roads to the mountain where a current telescope is. A really interesting part of our conference was a talk given by a local Hawaiian and his daughter who had gone sailing around the world. He touched on his own personal support of the telescope being built because their Hawaiian ancestors had always looked to the stars. They were explorers, after all, and the stars were just as important to ancient ancestors as they are today. The father-daughter duo shared their experience of being one with the world as they sailed using only the stars as navigation, and how a major part of Hawaiian culture is staying true to their traditions and beliefs.

Hearing their story of being comfortable with themselves in silence and tuning in to their surroundings really brought a lot of perspective to me. So did small things about Hawaiian culture. It was so sunny when my plane touched down in Honolulu but then it was gloomy and pouring on the Uber ride over to my hotel, so I asked if the bipolar weather was typical of Hawaii. My driver said: “If you don’t like the weather, just wait 15 minutes, the rain will go away.” It was a casual statement but indicative of the Hawaiian perspective.

I stayed in Waikiki, so of course, I had to try out a surfing lesson at Waikiki beach. It was my first full free day after the conference had ended, and I had debated whether to try out surfing or not because the weather forecast wasn’t great for the day. I went out anyway, and so did a lot of people. It was sunny for a while and then when the rain showers started. Yet everyone was out here surfing, literally riding it out and still enjoying themselves. And if you have ever tried surfing, you’ll know that you find the most success when you are loose, with bended knees. Being stiff and rigid won’t get you far — and that’s true for life, too.

The rain continued the next few days, putting a bit of a damper on my friend’s plans for a hike and swimming. That didn’t stop us from enjoying ourselves, though. We chased the sun around the island, finding a small bit of sunshine as we plopped onto the ground at Sandy’s beach for a couple hours. We had only sat down for a few minutes before the water viciously rushed in and soaked us. We jumped up as fast as we could, but our towels and shorts had already gotten all wet. It was cause for laughter, not sulking. I may not have gotten to do picturesque hikes or explore Hawaii fully, but I got to spend time with an old friend, pop into coffee shops and local boutiques, go whale watching in the rain, and enjoy a girls’ night playing games. And that’s the spirit I wish to have in 2020 and beyond.

Makapu’u Beach

In 2018, I learned a lot about the world. I studied abroad and traveled, saw other cultures and met people from many countries. In 2019, I learned a lot about myself. I graduated, moved to a new city, and started a new job. It was a year of great change, something I haven’t handled in the past as well as I would like to. In 2020, I hope to trust in myself and the world more. Things and people come and go, change happens. Metaphorically speaking, if it rains, just wait 15 minutes. I want to be comfortable with my place in the world, whatever that turns out to be, and to weather the ups and downs and challenges life throws at me with confidence that things will work out. I’ll be moving again and starting graduate school somewhere; it’s equal parts nerve-wrecking and exciting. 2020 will be the year of challenging myself: mentally, emotionally, and hopefully physically. Here’s to enjoying not just the destination, but also the ride.

If you have any intentions for 2020, share them with me below in the comments, I would love to hear what you guys are up to!