Traveling Tales
Traveling during turbulent times
Who is that masked woman?
Traveling tales: My heart was torn to pieces for months watching my sweet mothers health declining from 2,500 miles away and feeling the severe limitations of traveling during COVID. With my own stage 4 cancer journey, the fear of bringing the virus to my parents, the strict quarantine laws coming back home to Kaua’i and the fear circulating around the virus it seemed impossible to visit! For months I was emotionally tortured and rendered powerless with the only contact with my parents being on zoom and phone calls.
It took two incidents with my mom that scared the F*€$ out of me to realize I needed to get to CA ASAP! I jumped on the first flight I could, post crazy Hurricane episode (that never happened!)
I spent 12 precious, overwhelming, full and sweet days with my family. It was WORTH IT and so important!
As I’ve been on the tiny island of Kauai during COVID I had no idea what to expect in Ca. This is what I found: California is MUCH MORE relaxed virus wise then Hawaii (at least Kaua’i which is my world here). I told my brother this and he said, “Well yes, that’s why we have so many cases here!” I saw clusters of 30 bicyclists congregated together with no masks. I saw people dining outside remarkably close to others without masks. I found out about others that were having gatherings of 100+ people. I overheard conversations of people talking openly about plans to go out and eat and do other ‘normal’ stuff.
I’m not saying this is all wrong. What I’m saying is that it was surprising to me as the mayor on Kaua’i has been very clear with social distancing rules and it’s much easier to control Island inhabitants then the massive population in CA. The Hawaiian population here tends to be more peaceful and caring toward Kupuna (older population). On a small island community there is the knowledge that each person effects the other. There is the prevalent attitude with Californians and Americans that ‘you can’t take my freedom away, godammit, don’t make me wear a mask!’
In this share I’m not placing judgement on any mask wearing beliefs, although I do think it’s important to respect someone if they feel safer wearing a mask.
We are all welcome to our belief systems. I think it’s important to find the chords of what connects us in this modern day and age rather than slam others in anger for opposite viewpoints. As we’re seeing in social media and in the world, families, communities and countries are fracturing with opposing viewpoints. This is incredibly sad to me as more than ever we need to love one another to get through this challenging time.
Now I’m back in Hawaii doing a 14 day quarantine. This means: not leaving my property at all, having friends bring me food and no socializing. I live alone. Having no human contact is challenging for me, but I’m grateful for my animals, technology to connect me with others, the incredible beauty of the island and having made it back safely after much cherished family time. Today is day 3. I’m making a video each day and sharing it on Instagram if you want to check it out! I’m making the best of every moment!
The moral of the story is: don’t let your fear stop you from doing what your heart is calling for. Life is precious. Family and friends are golden. Life is short. Live it!
♥️🙏🏽♥️🙌🏽♥️🙏🏽♥️