I had a “plan” to come back for the summer to house sit and clear out my storage space, but instead I fell in love. They say that, “life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” I thought I knew the plan, but Great Spirit had other plans for me.
Many of you know that I travelled across the country a year ago to see our country and search for home. I found some fabulous friends in California and thought about settling in the Mt.Shasta area.
Last January, while I was renting a cabin in Mt. Shasta, I got the idea to visit Hawaii. After all, I was already on that side of the country, so close. It was always a dream to visit the Hawaiian Islands. I didn’t know if I would ever have that opportunity again in my lifetime, so I went for it. I arrived in Maui on February 17 and had to quarantine for 10 days. I had already been spending so much time in solitude that another 10 days alone in a room didn’t seem like that big of a deal, but I couldn’t wait to get out and explore. I spent a month camping and snorkeling and watching whales. I looked for spaces to rent, but it wasn’t working out and I thought that Maui didn’t want me. So, I booked a 2 week trip to Kaui before “planning” to return to California and drive my 2001 Buick LeSabre back East.
But wait, the funny thing that happened is that I accidentally left my computer cord at a friend’s house in Hana. For those of you who have never been to Maui, Hana is the most remote part of Maui. You have to drive 2 hours of a winding road with 59 one-way bridges to get to Hana. It’s a thing… “The Road to Hana”. People take a whole day just to take the drive and visit the many waterfalls, red sand and black sand beaches.
I tried to get back to Hana, but there was a flood and bridges were out, so when the coast was clear, I woke up before sunrise and headed down the road, where I bypassed the $8 cup of coffee in Nihiku, only to be greeted by my friend with coffee waiting for me! Once I had the cord, I didn’t have time to wait around, I got back on the road, but I did make one stop. There was this blue wall of abalone shells that I had spotted the week before, but the seashell shop was closed. Well, this time, early in the morning when I drove by, it was open! I’ve never seen so many beautiful shells in one place, spiny shells, shiny pearlescent orange shells, oyster shells with hibiscus and dolphins carved into them. . . and then there was this man, with these bright blue eyes and this huge smile! Scott, showed me the conch blow shells. I always wanted my own blow shell and on that day I blew into that shell and knew I was taking it home. . . to somewhere. . . We chatted and he was so friendly. We had a lot in common with our interest in stones and crystals and we talked about sustainability and solar power and water catchment. By the end of our conversation, he had given me his phone number and I’m thinking. . . well, I suppose I could call sometime and we could chat on the phone, but what’s the point? I mean, I had plans to go back East.
My heart felt so open after that meeting that I picked up a young female hitchhiker who needed to get up the winding road. I felt an overwhelming urge to help someone. Guess what her name was? Crystal!
Well, the very next day I swam with 21 dolphins. T W E n T Y— O N E!!!!! D o L p H I NS! 21!!! I circled around with them for an hour and-a-half as they came up for air and then submerged again. This experience was life changing. Normally, I might let that number sit in my pocket and think about calling, “someday” which we know from the movie Knight and Day, is just a codeword for “never”. I felt messages from the dolphins. . . seriously, I felt something very different when I was with them. I got messages about the pod and community and how we have to look out for each other and I also got a strong sense of carpe diem. I mean it was a total synchronicity that they were there when I was there.
It was such an extraordinary experience that helped me to realize what a gift each moment is. There was something about being with the dolphins that propelled me to take a risk and go against my natural shyness to reach out and to do a simple thing like make a phone call. I opened the door!
He’s old school and I didn’t reach him right away and thought, oh well, no biggie. On Saturday I danced with the wind at the edge of the ocean at Olowalu Beach. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I got the message from my deep within my spirit that there was indeed some connection between us and if I wanted to see what it is, that I’d have to go drive down there and stand in front of him, in person and see how it felt. I resisted this idea a lot. . . really, drive all the way back to Hana? But in the end, I just did that! I have plans with a friend. Am I supposed to break my plans with her? Do I take her with me? I can’t take her with me! What if I end up having a date? I don’t want her to be on my date and if she’s with me the odds of being open to something like that go way down. I had to do this journey on my own. I wanted to know if there would be a positive reception.
59 more one-way bridges and I arrive at a busy shell stand. “Hi Seashell man!” I can’t believe I just said that. . did I really just say that? Yup! I sure did!
We met after he was done working and he showed me his “solar system”. . . I mean the battery panel set up that is attached to his solar energy set up. He’s creating a beautiful paradise with fruit trees and views of the ocean’s horizon and the clouds and the stars…
We kissed and the fiery passion is so strong that at times it felt a little overwhelming. I’m amazed by the amount of feelings I have for him, so soon. How my heart feels so open and I feel like I’m 16 again. Its an innocent and vulnerable space to be in. Slowing down…
Like Cinderella, I have to leave because the next morning I have a flight to Kauai. So I leave in the pitch-black night and the next morning wake up at my friends house in Haiku at 5:30am, so I can go take my one-hour result covid test before I board my plane at 11:30. Uh-oh, I get to the testing facility and they inform me that the one-hour test is different than the travel testing requirements. . . whaaat? I’m freaking out, trying to call around to find a quick test…no.
What do I do? In the end, after freaking out about where to stay and how to get around, I decide to take the 72 hour result test and reschedule my flight for Wednesday.
I’m sitting in Maui Coffee Roasters with all of my belongings, the used red vibe rental car outside that I need to return, nowhere to stay and I’m totally stressed out! I start reaching out to the people who I’ve met on the island. A friend says, “Don’t worry, I got you sis!” With a sigh of relief, I realize that I now have 2 more days to be on Maui, which seemed like a good opportunity to have a second date. I also reached out to a permaculture farm that I found through my love of tulsi to see if I could stay for the month of April.
The second date went very well and I returned to spend April and May at the permaculture farm while Scott and I dated and got to know each other better.
Now I live on Maui and am creating new gardens and I’m starting an herbal company called Tulasi Devi Herbals. It’s not easy living in the jungle, I’ve felt very isolated these past few months, but I think we’re turning a corner now that we have internet. I look forward to sharing more of the magic of Maui and the spirit of the Tulsi that grows everywhere there.
Peace & much love!
Sulis
tulsirosegarden.org 