Now that I’ve caught up a bit, I can talk about the Wheel of the Year. Though my credibility is a little dented on these holidays. I celebrated Mabon on September 21st. I thought I’d done well to pull this off shortly after deploying to Vermont. Only to be told by a more observant family member that Mabon in 2024 (and most years) is on September 22nd. I’ve made a note for continuous improvement purposes. But no repeat observance on the 22nd.
I don’t have much Mabon specific to say. I do want to renew my support for the Wheel of the Year as a means every six or seven weeks to give thought to our place in the world and to give thanks for what we have.
That’s what I have to say. Perhaps too many words the past few days. I’m taking a break, though not as long as the last one. Be well.
2022 was when I first started observing the Wheel of the Year. And I started with Imbolc. I sometimes think that Yule is the start of the year, but I’m really more an Imbolc kind of guy. I think. Halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. While the facts on the ground don’t support it, I’m thinking winter is about over. Spring is surely soon to be upon us with a surge of greenness. Which is a kind of weird set of thoughts sitting in Hawaii.
My closet is also halfway to someplace new. On the left are my New England, LL Bean standards. Five shirts. On the right are my Aloha shirts – five of ’em. I’ve been told that if you tuck them in, and throw on a sports coat, your good to see the governor.
Speaking of New England, I spotted this on a stair riser going into Maui Brewing in Waikiki. Sort of a seal of approval.
Which brings me around to what got me observing the Wheel of the Year, and making a point to be grateful every six weeks. Having a snack and a dram and thinking of J. She would have loved it here. The sun, the green, and the Hawaiian sacredness of everyday life. That would have meant so much to her. I went to a meeting today that was started with a prayer/blessing in Hawaiian. Asking to clear the room of fear and discord so that everyone’s words could be truly heard. Not something to which I am accustomed. But not a bad way to start. Sad she missed this. Glad to purposely think of her and smile a little.
A friend’s daughter’s class is trying to get a Valentine from all 50 states. I couldn’t find a Valentine’s Day card in Waikiki. Hopefully hand drawing a heart on the card will allow it to qualify.
My snack doesn’t show off Diamond Head to the best. This is a much better view. Sunrise. Sorta Imbolc-ish.
I am reminded of how I grabbed onto the Wheel of the Year, almost two years ago. It’s value seems to ebb and flow in my life, but is always present. The turn of the wheel, and the reminder to be thankful every six weeks, has become so important to my journey. I have found my thoughts moving, ever so slowly, but inexorably, in sadder spirals in recent days. And then Yule appears on the calendar. There is no peer pressure to observe Yule. There are no external pressures of any kind. And yet. And yet, just knowing Yule is coming, and thinking about the Wheel, and my commitment to celebrate, causes a change in my… In my… I don’t really know. But a change for the better. And then I received this morning the graphic at the top of the page. From a loved one whom I have no reason to believe shares my commitment, but knows of it. I cried.
For those not around two years ago, I highly commend this book. It sounds trite, but it changed my life.
I have been working out of Honolulu for the past several months but recently completed a temporary assignment on Maui. While there, I had the opportunity to spend some time on Haleakalā and in the National Park. The summit is over 10,000 feet, above the cloud level, and spectacularly beautiful. The photo at the left is at the summit, looking down into the caldera. In the middle is āhinahina, or Haleakalā Silversword. Highly endangered, but well conserved in the park. On the right is an example of the trails I stumbled around on for several hours. I went back to the car when multiple groups stopped to offer me water.
Still in Haleakalā Park, but at lower elevation and on the windward side of Maui. Just south of Hana. Rather than high altitude and arid, this area averages 187 inches of rain annually. On the left is Waimoku waterfall with a height of 400 feet. On the right is a portion of the two mile trail in, and in the center a large banyan at about half way.
While rainbows are ubiquitous in Hawai’i, they seem especially vibrant on Maui. If I was a little quicker I could have snagged a pot of gold at both ends of this one.
In between Maui and my return to O’ahu, I got to spend Thanksgiving with some of the family. We rented a home on Lake Norman. In preparation, Brittany and I took a course on pie baking. The place was gorgeous, dinner was delicious and obscenely plentiful. While I didn’t appreciate it headed in, it was a well needed break.
After the nature walks on Maui, and on my return to Honolulu, I went shopping for a plant to bring some green to the office. I explained to the person at the garden center that I wanted a native Hawaiian plant, good inside, in low light, and low maintenance. The list of plants that met that criteria was a null set. So after further sizing me up, I was offered this “ZZ” plant, apparently a relative of taro. That was two weeks ago and it is still green.
And now I’m back at the start. Sitting on my balcony in Waikiki, the clouds rolling in. Wine, snacks, and tunes, trying to catch up on a blog, and feelings, too long ignored. Merry Yule and Happy Solstice!!
The Journey 