Living Aloha on Maui

It’s August and life is hectic right now. The school year is starting in two days and summer is coming to a close. Usually we are unpacking from a jam-packed, whirlwind trip visiting family in New York. 2020 had different plans for us.

Moving to Maui

Every summer since my husband and I moved to Maui, we have visited our family and friends in New York. That means we have done this for the past 19 summers (WOW!). We had been fortunate enough to continue this tradition once we had children. Now my two daughters look forward to this annual journey as much as we do.

Throughout the years, many people have commented to us that we have the best of both worlds. We get to live in paradise during most of the year, and then head to New York when the weather is nice. And every time someone says this to me, I tell them, “You’re right, I do.”

Our life most of the year on Maui

When we moved to Maui 19 years ago, I never dreamed we would stay. We would go back every summer and say we were staying one more year. Then we bought a condo at Pohailani in Kahana, we got engaged, we got married and then had two daughters. Then we bought our beach house in Lahaina. While we didn’t even realize it, our roots were growing in Maui, not New York.

While all of this was happening, we were changing too. We learned how to slow down (mostly). We stop and smell the roses, or Maui’s equivalent, watch the sunset. We appreciate and love where we live every single day. Living aloha is a real thing. We do it every day.

Living so far from people we love is definitely a sacrifice. But we know that raising our girls in the healthy sunshine, enjoying day-to-day life, and appreciating the beauty that surrounds us is worth it.

This Summer “Stuck” on Maui

So now, it’s 2020, and summer came and went. We didn’t make it to New York for the first time in 20 summers. The distance I talked about seems just a little bit further now. We were hopeful until about late-June that we would make it to New York. But with COVID-19 cases rising, and a two-week quarantine greeting us on our return back to Maui, we came to the devastating realization that we were staying put this summer.

So we made a list. A very long list of adventures. I mean, we knew that being “stuck” on Maui was what some people dream about. And I have to admit, it was pretty dreamy. There has been virtually no traffic and every beach is empty. Like we had all of Ka’anapali Beach a few times! It certainly isn’t the same, as most restaurants are closed, and we are wearing masks everywhere. But we have been able to enjoy Maui from the top (the Summit at Haleakala) to the bottom (Honolua Bay). We also enjoyed Big Beach in Makena, Kapalua Bay, Napili Bay, the Olivine Pools, 13 Crossings hike, and many trips to our favorite beach, Shark Pit, in Lahaina. We certainly are lucky to call Maui our home.

Starting a New School Year

So as we start the new school year, we are reflecting on a different summer than our norm. Our trips to New York are very important to us, and we will hopefully be continuing this tradition next summer. But I am not going to lie, I loved getting a parking spot at Kapalua Bay this summer. If you know, you know. Love life, live Maui!