I want to share with you the story of how I came to Hawaii. It’s rather a long story, but I will try to keep it short and only mention the important parts.

All of you know me, so I am hoping that you will know that I write from my heart and that the following story is true.

Hawaii is a place I can remember my grandma talking about and wishing she could go to one day.

Even as a small child, the place of Hawaii seemed so great, so like the place I would want to go. When I saw “Blue Hawaii” with Elvis when I was a teenager, I just knew I had to go there and hopefully meet Elvis and marry him.

Well, my Grandma didn’t get to go to Hawaii, I never met Elvis and I never got to go to Hawaii till March 1998.

I was working for Denny’s restaurants as a Corporate Trainer, where I was a part of the training team that set up, and opened all new Denny’s Restaurants in the USA, Canada, and Hawaii. I remember my boss calling me and asking me to to do two back to back openings in Canada once, being gone 3.5 weeks for each opening, back to back would seem like forever before I got back home again.

I knew at this time there was also an opening coming up in Hawaii very soon, so I told my boss I would do the two openings in Canada if I could be one of the trainers going to Hawaii. He said he could promise me that, no problem.

I couldn’t believe it, could I really be going to the place that I have heard about all of my life, but never, ever thought this north side, GED possessing girl would ever get a chance to go to Hawaii!!!!

Well the time eventually came and I found myself in Blue Hawaii.

It was just like the Elvis movie, it was blue, it smelled good and it was as beautiful as my grand-ma could have ever imagined!
The opening of the Denny’s in Kona, Hawaii was a great success, we worked extremely hard, as at this time, there was very few places to eat inside here, so Denny’s did a whopping $96,000 the first week that we opened here!

I remember it was over a week of being here before I ever even got to go to the beach!

Each day I would look at the water and the beach from the Denny’s, but I didn’t get to go when I wanted to.

Can you imagine how hard that was to be so close but yet so far?

Anyway, when I left the opening, I had definately fallen in love with Kona Hawaii and I told everyone there that I would definately be back in 6 months, that I would go home and take care of some business and I would be back… without a doubt.

When my son picked me up from the airport, I told him the same thing.

Now me and my son are more friends than anything, I think, so he said go for it!

Well needless to say, for many reasons, I never moved here after 6 months.

I worried about my one and only son, (who would be here to get him out of trouble) I worried about my house (how could I leave a house that I have lived in my entire life) What about my bills?

What if I dont make enough money?

What about my Dad?( he is old, what if he dies)

There were so many reasons why I couldn’t move to paradise back then.

I cant even name them all.

The six months came and went and I was still coming up with excuses why I couldnt move at that time, if it wasnt one thing it was another.

This game that I was playing continued on for the next 7 years.

Even though I ate, drank, and slept Hawaii, I still did not have the nerve to move there, Houston was my home and thats what I am suppose to do.

After all what would my grandparents think if they were alive, that I leave a home that they built, to live on an island in the middle of the Pacific ocean?

My son (Shawn) and my dearest, closest friends (Gene and Joni) were so sick of hearing about Hawaii, its all I talked about.

If they told me the gig was good last night, I would say the music in Hawaii is so different here. If my son says he was out of work, I would say there is lots of construction jobs in Hawaii. Everything that anyone could say, I had to say something about Hawaii. Honestly, I think I was a pain in the butt many times.

Well in April of 2004, the games continued with me, I was still sitting on my front porch wishing I was in Hawaii, as I had done for years each morning, but still afraid to lose “my life” in Houston.

I was talking to my friend that day about it and he told me, as I explained all of my concerns about moving, “Just buy the ticket” and everything else would fall into place.

Now I am a God fearing woman, but I guess I wasn’t brave enough to “buy the ticket” after all that would mean that I had to go then, right?
I didnt go buy the ticket, but I did get a price of a ticket on the internet, wow!

round trip for only $500 and something?

That couldnt be right!Â

I saved the quote to my favorite places and I looked at it several times a day.

Each day when I talked to Gene and Joni, they would ask if I had bought the ticket……….and as always I said “no, not yet”.

I kept telling Shawn that I was going to Hawaii one day and I dont think he believed me, however, on March the 12, 2004, I clicked on the box, that said “buy now”.

Over the next couple of weeks, I did very little, I knew that my life was about to change like I could not even imagine at that time.

I didnt worry about the house or my son, or the bills, actually I didnt do anything to get ready to move except cancel my car insurance, make sure my truck was in a safe place and make sure my plants got water each day.

I didnt start packing till the night before and then it was quick.

I didn’t know why, after all this time, why I wasnt more into doing the things normal people would have done. I guess it really wasnt important.
I arrived in Kona on April 26th and the memories that were lodged in my mind, all came to the surface.

Paradise was a lovely as I remembered it!

Flowers everywhere, the smell was like what I imagined the garden of Eden smelled like.

The people were as nice as I remembered and the Aloha spirit was so thick you could cut it with a knife!!!
It seems that when I arrived back to where I was meant to be, many things changed. I don’t seem to be so afraid of things, the things that were imnportant, are not so any more, and nothing seems to matter much except that I am here where I am suppose to be!
Within 4 days of my plane landing, I had “landed” a job, a place to stay and car.

Now is that destiny?

Faith?

Or is it that all of these things were suppose to happen, I just had to “buy the ticket” so they could happen!?!

I have never felt so “right” in so long.

I feel in a lot of ways like a child again, with the playful, joyful adventurous spirit that every child has.

It is truly amazing what a small step that you do towards your dreams can make all things possible.Â
I have now been here 2 months (in a couple of days) and I now own 2 cars, and have been offered a management position!! Yes, let me repeat, I now own 2 cars and have been offered a management position!!!

Less than two months ago (remember) I sat on my porch wishing I was here and worried to death that I wouldnt have money, or a job and that I would be homeless!
My point to all of this is not to brag about what I possessions I have here, in a short time, but rather to let you know that you can do the same thing!

Some of you may say, “I have no desire to go to Hawaii”.

And that is ok, too.

But, have you ever wanted to be somewhere else?

Alaska?

Australia?

Florida?

Montana?

Across town?

Across the state?

Where are you suppose to be?

If you are as lucky as I have been you will be blessed with the knowledge of where you are suppose to be.

When you find that place, “Buy the ticket” and all else will fall into place!

I promise you that!
Perhaps, you know that your place is right where you are……great!

Wonderful!

You are blessed!

How about that new home you have been wanting?

How about a new car?

How about braces for the kids’ teeth?

What is it that you need/want?

All you have to do is “buy the ticket”.

(Contact the real estate agent, go look at new cars, etc)

It doesnt matter what it is that you are wanting in life, if you are where you are suppose to be, all else will fall into place, but it all starts with YOU!, Not your mother or your brother or your sister or your father, it starts with YOU!!!!

Go out and get whatever it is that you want.

It is yours, you just have to go get it, like I did! (Believe me, if I can leave my life of 47 yrs and move to a place alone where I know no one, anyone can do it) Although it can be scary at times, all will work out, if you just “buy the ticket”.

That is the story of how I came to Hawaii, I think my Grandma would have been proud of me, and I think Elvis would have fallen in love with me if he were here, but most important, I am where I was supposed to be… many years ago.

I can only hope and pray that one day my son and my friends will be beside me here in paradise, if and only if they are suppose to be here! I hope some of you got something out of this, and if you didn’t, well that’s ok too, I just wanted to share with all of you the miracles that happen when you put forth the energy.

Remember to always live ALOHA and share a little bit of it, where ever you go!