Slow Down
This is a little life appreciation post to remind everyone to slow down and enjoy the little things in life. When I think of slowing down and appreciating life I think about my experience in Hawaii. I visited Hawaii this time last year with my family. I went to the island of Oahu, Hawaii. My favorite island only cause my father’s birthplace and homeland is Kahuku, Oahu. I was welcomed by family whom I never met, and beautiful scenes of green land, and ocean.
The plane ride to Hawaii was giving me anxiety even before I boarded! It was my 2nd time on a plane alone, and I did pretty well. I usually get SUPER anxious on planes, so I decided to eat a 50mg edible crispy treat, and by the time I boarded the plane I already felt relaxed and ready to sleep! I slept for about 3 1/2 hours out of the 5 hour flight, then woke and treated myself to a little mimosa! The view from the plane when entering Hawaii was amazing and even though I was nervous I ended up having a safe and great plane ride. (If you get nervous/anxious/scared on planes like myself, and don't wanna take prescription pills to aid, I do recommend doing some research on how Cannabis THC or CBD can help lessen anxiety, etc. when flying).
Being in paradise really makes you appreciate the world around you. Hawaii is real life paradise. One of the greatest places to visit, admire, and relax. The time change took about a day to adjust to as Hawaii runs 3 hours behind CA time. Probably why life in Hawaii feels slow. When I was in Hawaii talking to and observing the people, I noticed how friendly/welcoming, and open people on the island are. My family was invited to a church BBQ and we were welcomed and fed like we’ve known these people forever. It felt like I was home. We pulled over on the side of a highway to buy some drinks/ knick knacks, and the shop owner was kind enough to gift us some fresh bananas, and coconut. It is the little things that matter sometimes and I felt the love and energy of the people on the island.
I noticed two things, one that people are A LOT more happy. It’s a genuine happiness too. It is if everyone wakes in the best mood, EVERYONE is welcoming & friendly. The second thing I noticed was that people on the island seem to appreciate their land, time, and human interaction. A weird concept to observe coming from the United States, where life seems to come at you fast, and everyone is occupied or worried about only themselves. People kind of stick to themselves, and are more cautious when approaching others. Time is something that always seems to be a worry of many. Being tight on time can sometimes make one anxious about their next move/future. It made me realize that life can be simple! It may be hard to stop what you’re doing and enjoy/ be in the moment, but to live in the present and make the best of what is right now is all we really can do.
I urge everyone to appreciate the present, and the world we live in. Appreciate waking up and getting to enjoy another day! Appreciate where you are at this moment, what you’re doing, what you have, who surrounds you, and who you are. We are constantly moving, working, planning, and thinking, that it’s easy to overlook the simple things, and forget about what is really important. Remember life is what YOU MAKE IT! So appreciate it and make your life a great one.
Always,
Jeane Tui.
