In 2006, Harv and I celebrated our 10th anniversary in Maui. It was lovely. We stayed at a resort hotel that was right on the beach. We ate good food. We explored. We sat by the pool that looked at the ocean. Harv snorkled. I tagged along on the snorkeling boat and gave it a shot.  We saw a mama and baby whale who might've been the last to leave Maui waters before heading up to Alaska. It was lovely.

When Harv was diagnosed in 2011, we arranged a trip for early 2012 to the same place we stayed before. What's not healing about staring at the ocean? We watched for whales (and saw more this time)... we relaxed by the pool again. We ate good food. We soaked in the Hawaiian air.

We came back in 2013 and again in 2015...  And, when we were here last year, we booked the trip for this week. (You have to make plans. You just can't stop making plans.)

I can't really explain it, but I kinda think he's here with me.  He's there in each sunset. He's out there with the whales. He's with me when I watch the kayakers (He's probably one of 'em).  He's in the sound of the ocean. And, if you keep up with my Facebook posts, you know that he's somehow connected to the people who are staying next door to us -- Canadians (one of whom has colon cancer), who are familiar with Lytton, BC and the people there who love Harv... 

But this time... this time when he's here in Maui with me... This time, he's not sick.

For that, I am grateful.