Running Up, Up, and Away

I am not a runner. I am hardly a jogger. In fact, I don't even like speed walking.
So then why, I ask you, have I decided to take on a marathon???

Mostly I am inspired by my roommate Ann, who just finished her first marathon with her Dad last month. Though her toe nails might be falling off along with several layers of epidermis, the smile on her face is priceless.

Another motivator is the fact that living on Maui has become akin to a permanent vacation as far as culinary delights go. (PS: You can get fat from eating too much coconut and pineapple. Total bummer!) As I am in no way willing to decrease my intake of coconut and pineapple I have had to find a way to burn up those calories.

Then we have the simple fact that running in moderation is one of the easiest ways to stay healthy. All you need is a pair of shoes and some beautiful scenery (which I have ample access to) and you are off. Within two minutes from my home I am running along side the coast. As my feet kick into gear to some Michael Jackson beats I stride along one of the best kite and windsurfing beaches in the world.

Running beside the highway, against the wind, dodging cars that are paying too much attention to the waves than to that blond runner (being me),I will occasionally receive a honk of encouragement from a stranger or a friend will drive by and yell something nasty at me that makes me laugh. It makes me feel connected to my home, my community and friends. It's like facebook but…well… real.

All of these are motivating factors to get me off the couch and on the road.
Today, however, on my afternoon run I found something new. Something miraculous and inspiring. And no I am not talking about that crazy foot-long centipede that crossed my path.

I am talking about an intense body-spirit-mind connection.
I am talking heart pumping, joy dripping, existential release baby!
I am talking it don't matter if your black or white, rich or poor or good or bad because this is the only moment you got honey! I am talking ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no ocean wide enough to keep me from reaching any goal I set for myself.

My feet hit the ground, and push off. The muscles in my legs engage. My mouth opens to take in breath as beads of sweat trickle down my spine. I look towards the Maui Mountains as the waves crash into the North Shore on my left and the wind brings me scents of Mock Orange and Plumeria.

I rise up and above myself to see this little thing that is my life. I see her pushing and striving along the coast of Hana Highway. I see the tears and sweat that drip down her cheeks as she releases all the days stress. I rise up a little more to see all the surfers in the water, studying the waves, pushing their bodies to the limit for a chance to feel the power of the tides. Up a little more I see my island. I see all the people striving and driving against their own wind, trying to find their wave, their stride in life. It is just as I, that little speck now, is trying to find her pace.

And I think: "What incredible creatures we humans are! How powerful our bodies, mind and spirit!" Others may say the human race is doomed but I don't believe it. I see too many examples of strength, desire, creation.
These are the things I see in myself as I push myself past my own limits.
Kona Marathon… here I come!

Love Affair

Can you remember falling in love? You know how everything looks a little brighter and everything tastes a little sweeter? You know how every step you take has a bit of a bounce to it? Isn't it amazing how, when you are in love, even the most mundane of things, such as a trip to the grocery store or doing the dishes, has a certain sparkle to it?

I am in love. And the object of my affection…
A giant land mass in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

She is everything I could ever want; beautiful, diverse, cultured, playful, magical and warm and for the past four months I have been falling head over heels for her.

You know those first stages of love, where each meeting with your partner is like unfolding the packaging of a delicious treat? You carefully, slowly, open her up, treasuring each new bit of information that brings you closer to her. Each week I unwrap a new piece of this island, place it in my mouth and let it melt. Each week I find myself crying as I drive down the curves of this gorgeous rock, so thankful that she has let me in, so grateful that she thinks me worthy enough to embrace.

And yet I am fearful.
As with any new relationship I am wary of the potential disaster that comes from opening your heart up. I am vulnerable to this islands mysterious nature. Will she let me down? Will I let her down? I search for that hidden vice that will send this love affair to a screeching halt. This can't last, can it?

My lover has her faults I won't lie.
I could do without the ants in the kitchen and the cane field dust that covers all my belongings. But these imperfections are like the small freckles on your lovers face, or the scar on his back.
They are the flaws that make her real to you, that bring you closer.

It seems strange to have a love affair with an island.
I am sure my family would rather me fall in love with a land mass closer to home with more affordable housing but what can you do?
You can't choose where you love…