A long journey of faith

Aloha everyone from Princeville, Hawaii.
After travelling for over 24 hours we arrived safe and sound at our condo in Princeville, HI. At times it felt like our journey was never going to end. Three flights. Over thousands of miles. Through 3 different time zones. Leaving our home in the midst of a major thunderstorm. Lightning flashing. Thunder booming. Rain lashing down on everything. My daughter trembling. And surprisingly I felt no fear whatsoever to the thunderstorm.  I felt at peace. Accepting we were where we were meant to be. And if it was meant for us to get to Kauai we would.
By the time we checked in at the airport and got upstairs, the dark and ominous clouds had given way to blue skies. And by the time we boarded the airplane, there was no sign of the threatening weather that had unfolded unexpectedly on us when we were leaving our home. Filling me with hope that our journey was going to be filled with hiccups but we would get to where we were meant to that day.
On the flight from NY to California, I paid homage to those whose lives were lost in the tragedy of 9-11 as they too left their homes that morning full of optimism and hope about their final destinations that day only for them to be crashed into the World Trade Centre. As we were on the same route as they were. Thinking about that ill fated day that changed the way we all travel. I thought about how fortunate my family is not to have experienced that tragedy first hand. And whispered a silent prayer to the Universe that it was not in our cards to have to experience anything similar.
By the fifth hour on the flight, my children started to get a bit restless but were in good spirits by the time we landed in California. Four hours gained from the time we left home. We walked around the airport a bit trying to stretch our legs before boarding another 6 hour plus flight. Changing time yet again.
Worrying that I was pushing our family too much by trying to do the journey all in one day. Should I have given us time to overnight in California so we could have had time to regroup. My son saying he was glad we were getting it over and done with all in one day.
Boarding our final flight for the day. Going through turbulence while the sky did not look threatening  Praying we would arrive safely and then the turbulence stopped. Yielding a relatively smooth journey from there on.
Finally arriving in Lihue, HI at 8.30 pm Hawaiian time, 3.30am Bermuda time. Realising I had been awake for nearly 24 hours. Having woken at 4am the morning before to be sure my family was prepared for our journey. My body, mind and soul trembling from sheer exhaustion but still pushing ahead until my family was safe and sound at our destination.
Getting into our hire car. Full of our luggage. Full of wonder and excitement. Only to find our GPS did not work. After faffing around with it for about half hour we decided to throw fate to the wind and go where we were being led. We drove out of the airport with little more than hope and a prayer.
And once I thought we were on the road to the North, our final destination, I fell asleep from relief. Only to awake some 15 minutes later to us on a road that did not feel right. Heading west.
There was no one around. The roads were deserted.
Over tiny bridges we crossed. Past long stretches of dark beaches illuminated by the large beautiful moon. Under normal circumstances we would have been in awe of the beauty that was surrounding us. Instead we were wrought with worry about where we were heading. Dark and winding roads. No lights because we later discovered there are no lights as there is a bird that is sacred here that flies into lights and kills itself.
And then a lone car came towards us and my husband, unlike the stereotypical typical man, flashed the driver then flagged him down. The driver slowed to ask, "Is there a cow on the road?"
Did he just ask if there was a cow on the road we all asked? Thinking what in the world had we gotten ourselves  into. My husband asked the driver if we were on the right road to Princeville. The driver told us we had passed it by seven miles. Then he miraculously said he would not only show us where we needed to go but he would drive us there. All we had to do was make a U turn and then follow him.
As we neared our destination, our guide stopped and the passenger got out to ask us where we were specifically going. When we told her, she said they would take us directly there so we could not get lost on the dark roads.
When we reached our destination, our guides made a U turn said Aloha and drove off into the night without us even knowing their names or thanking them properly. Leaving us with a good feel about our upcoming holiday. Letting me know that even when we set out on our journey and it is not what we thought, when we get led down dark and ominous roads  when we feel like we are totally and utterly lost, if we have faith, trust and believe and are not afraid to admit we are lost and ask for help, angels and guides are always there for us. Asking for nothing in return except to show us the way.
And for this lesson and journey I am truly grateful.
Waking up this morning to the sound of new adventure. Unfamiliar bird songs. Sounds of the new and unfamiliar with anticipation, gratitude and love. Mahalo from Princeville, Hawaii.