I enjoyed the wise turtle, the vibrant fish and waving anemones, the beautiful silence and brilliant, sun-tinged calm of Maui.
I took a deep breath and dove beneath the waves. I felt the pressure of the water pushing down on me as the wave crashed and rolled by over my head. I came up and inhaled deeply, wiping the saltwater off of my mouth. I looked back towards shore, taking in the golden yellow sands of Kaanapali Beach in Maui. It was studded with people lounging under palapas or wandering down stone paths in the shade of tall, leaning palms. I swung my feet up through the crystal water so I was floating on my back, and kicked my flippers, gliding farther away from the shore. After a few minutes I stopped my outward journey, feeling a slight tinge of fear as I thought of the myriad of sharks that inhabit the warm waters of Maui. I stuck my masked face in the water, looking down into it, and all of my fears were quelled. I looked up, took a single deep breath, filled my lungs, and dove down into the rolling water.
All noise stopped. It was nothing but me and the water. I was surrounded by a cool azure blanket that brushed like silk against my skin as I glided through it. The sandy bottom was perfectly visible through the crystal clear water, spotted with large black volcanic rocks covered in vibrant purple anemones. There were bright green sea plants and small fish, swimming in and out of crevices in the rocks. Small, electric orange fish swarmed the rocks, wiggling through and contrasting delightfully with the turquoise water. Slightly larger, brown fish with white and black-scaled markings nibbled on the mossy boulders. It was the Humuhumunukunukuapua`a, the state fish of Maui. I slowed my kicking as a school of tiny silver fish passed in front of me. The thousands of tiny fish moved in unison, reflecting the filtered sunlight and sparkling as they snaked by in an endless glittering train.
My heart began beating in my ears and my lungs tightened, begging for fresh air. I turned upwards to head towards the surface, but before I started my ascent, a giant brown-green turtle caught my eye. I stared in disbelief, afraid it might come after me. But my intrigue got the better of me and I suspended in the cool water observing in wonder. My lungs screamed, I looked towards the still distant surface of Maui and an instinctual vibration of panic streaked through my heart. I kicked my flippers, reaching my arms for the surface, feeling the stale air in my lungs press against my chest. My fingers reached oxygen first. I gave one last hard kick and broke through the surface, gasping for breath and filling my hungry lungs with the warm, humid Hawaiian air.
I rested for a second, took a few deep gulps, and dove back beneath the rolling water. The turtle was slightly farther away, but still close enough make out the details of its shell. Checkered lines ran across the four-foot wide shell, creating an intricate pattern of spiral designs, circles within squares. The skin on its head and legs was a gray hue and was bunched in rows of wrinkles. It looked almost unnatural moving through the water, like an awkward land animal desperately out of place, peddling its short, thick legs as it moved its flippers in giant swooping motions. Yet somehow, gliding through the turquoise ocean, slowly and at peace, it possessed its own grace. I enjoyed the wise turtle, the vibrant fish and waving anemones, the beautiful silence and brilliant, sun-tinged calm for a moment more, and then pushed my way to the surface.
I lay on my back once more, kicking towards the shore and thinking of the world below me. It was a world that was exploding with life and color, but at the same time remained serene, detached and protected from the noise and bustle of the shore. I pulled off my mask and inhaled the delicious island air through my nose. I closed my eyes, and felt the water lap around my ears and head. As I approached the shore, I stopped to remove my flippers. I stood in the water, feeling the cool ocean and fine sand squelch deliciously between my toes. I licked the salt from my lips and waded out of the water, enjoying the sounds of children laughing and friends gossiping on their towels. I love the energy of a crowd, of people moving and conversing and enjoying their lives. But sometimes, even in a place as beautiful and serene as Hawaii, you need a moment to withdraw, a moment to yourself. You need a moment not just to relax your physical self, but to soothe your mind. Walking up the beach, squeezing the water out of my hair, I felt rested and re-energized. I lay on my towel, bathing in the delightful realization that thriving, vibrant life existed even apart from human activity, and, whether in the midst of a great adventure or daily life, taking a break from the bustle to appreciate brilliant havens and hidden worlds provides a rejuvenating taste of joyful comfort and a delightful dose of perspective.
