Brunching on a Wednesday because, why not.

The struggle to get here seems to be the same struggle to get out. While coming to a city of unknowns is thrilling, exciting, frightening, and eye opening, so is leaving one. The thrill of going someplace new is filled with a thrill of leaving a place that has become so normal. The excitement of discovering new parts of a city is now going to be the excitement to returning to what I have known my whole life. A frightened exterior is replaced with a frightened interior, and the eyes that were open to see for the first time may be seeing things for the last.

Leaving brings renewed energy to the past, present, and future. You’ll come back with a greater appreciation for what you left behind and for the things found on the adventure you took. Welcome the struggle and endure the pain. All these thoughts I’ve learned are true and maybe the start of a migration pattern too.

Game board size large flat rate boxes, but not playing any games with this.

My family doesn’t often come to the city, but when they do, they bring Hawaii with them. Not just bringing the sweets and treats I miss (and love!) but the feeling of home, family, and the Hawaiian culture.

Fresh pineapple might be the last thing I care to eat (because I’m the only person I know from Hawaii that is allergic to it), but I would never turn down the chance to share it. This Maui Gold came a long way and someone should enjoy this piece of paradise.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and if this one could talk, there would probably be two thousand words to say about it. Pingy is my confidant. He has heard more of my life stories than he might ever care about and I heard my fair share of third grade drama, Minecraft scenarios, and reasons why band is “the worst.” Today our secrets revealed the tides are changing for both of us but there is nothing we can’t handle—especially in a Hawaii`i shirt.

Listen to mom, don’t try this at home.

Pools are transparent. They are crystal clear and you can see right down to the very bottom. The current never changes, there is no surprise drop off, and what you see is what you get.

People are not transparent. (Except in Inside Out, the latest and greatest from Pixar where I learned today that feelings have feelings and I could see what each character was thinking in the most colorful and cutest way possible). In real life, people can say something, but not mean it. You can’t see all the way to the bottom and sometimes it is difficult to even scratch the surface.  Honesty is sometimes a mystery. These are the people who challenge you, test you, and put you through moments that make you or even break you.

What you see might not be what you get, and in this crazy ocean we call life, you learn to deal with this over and over again. People are not like pools but that’s fine because I always liked the ocean better.