I'd been meaning to travel again for a while, and when conditions at work weren't as good and after a conversation about traveling when you're older and have more health considerations, I decided it was a good time to venture out again. In April, my friend Amber and I went to Oahu and loved it, so I figured I would start in Hawaii. Helps that I have a friend on Maui who manages an organic garden farm!
Waiting in the Honolulu airport for my flight to Maui, I'm listening to ukelele music through the loudspeakers and watching the sun set over the Hawaiian Airlines hangar. Flying to Hawaii is the really the greatest. The mood on the plane is one of happiness and excitement, and necks crane as we fly over volcanoes both extinct and active.
The humpbacks have just come back, and seeing them is one thing I've been looking forward to. Soon I'll see them every day from the farm and be able to hear them singing when I put my head underwater. I'm also looking forward to watching big waves, snorkeling, and falling asleep to the sound of wind through the leaves. On the farm, I'm looking forward to the possibilities of learning beekeeping, and now bio-char, as an expert on it will be coming to the farm to work with us! I made a couple of bio-char burners for a group in Phoenix a couple of years ago, but I didn't get much feedback on them. Bio-char is charcoal that we make from plant matter and mix into the soil because it's pure carbon and it holds water well. The bio-mass needs to be burned from the top down to retain most of the carbon and prevent it from simply turning into ash, and that's done in an enclosed burner with a chimney and controlled air flow. It's possible that I will use my fabrication skills to make a bio-char burner for the farm.
Another thing that has me stoked to be here is that a friend I met at Burning Man in 2014 manages the farm. His name is Jonathan, or Wonton. We get along well (which means he's totally weird too), and I'm excited to be weird with him. Amazingly, another friend is also here, one of the first volunteer friends I met in Peru! Her name is Erica, and she's weird too. I'm sure the three of us are going to laugh a lot!
Leaving Phoenix this time was so strange. I've never had nearly this much stuff to get rid of! It happened slowly at first (planning stages felt like an eternity), but then suddenly I was scrambling to get everything done and I'm still shocked that I've left. I didn't get to spend time with a few dear friends that I will miss, but the last week of dinners and outings for drinks was incredible and left me feeling immeasurable gratitude toward my Arizona family. They have been there for me through so much over the several years and did it again this time (esp Panther, Amber, Ruvi, and all of my amazing neighborhood friends). We had a little going-away party last weekend at Kurt's house and even though I was totally pooped after holding a successful yard sale, it was just what I needed and we had a blast. A friend even came from California to surprise me! I'm stupid lucky.
Another amazing thing is that I'm in such an emotionally healthy and happy place right now. A year ago I was struggling with the worst depression I've ever had. Even just a few months ago I was in a funk. I did what I needed to do to get out of it, including going completely sober for lent, seeing a therapist, and also taking an online class about happiness-improving habits & actions. Things really started to turn around when I resigned from a very stressful project management position at work and went back to welding. Sometimes you just need to work with your hands and feel flow (with great tunes piping through your headphones), and to get some appreciation for work with physical results. Not that what I was doing wasn't helpful, but I'm sure you get the idea. Now, I feel the confidence I was lacking. I can look in the mirror and smile at myself, knowing that I'm rocking at life and doing what makes me happy. I'm feeling more patient and I'm learning to assert my needs tactfully and with love. I'm back to being friendly and talkative. I sing out loud and dance sometimes too. I don't care who sees, Happy Heather is back and I'm not giving this up!
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