“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
— Mark Twain
Time moves faster than we ever expect. One moment, we are making plans, setting goals, looking ahead, and the next, we find ourselves looking back, wondering how the years passed so quickly. The dreams we kept putting off, the adventures we told ourselves we’d take “someday,” suddenly feel further and further away.
For us, we decided not to let those years slip by without truly living. It was a choice—a conscious, deliberate choice—to prioritize experiences over possessions. We traded in our big, beautiful house with its lush green yard for something smaller and simpler, all so we could afford to embrace life more fully while our children were still young enough to experience it alongside us.
And that decision led us to Hawaii.
Why Hawaii?
Four years ago, we sat down as a family and made a decision: We would experience Hawaii together. Not just as tourists, but as explorers—soaking in the beauty, the culture, the adventure. We didn’t want a typical vacation; we wanted something unforgettable, something that would weave itself into the fabric of our family’s story.
And so, we set our sights on The Big Island, a place where the trade winds carry a sense of freedom, where adventure calls from the moment you step off the plane, and where the ocean itself invites you to let go of everything else and just be.
What we found exceeded every expectation.
The Joy of the Ocean
Imagine standing on the shore, feeling the warmth of the Hawaiian sun on your skin, the salty breeze tangling in your hair. Then, a perfect wave rolls in, and you dive forward, riding it, letting it carry you, twist you, tumble you into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.
Body surfing in Hawaii is nothing short of exhilarating. The kind of fun that flips you over, sends sand into every crevice of your swimsuit (and sometimes takes your swimsuit away with it!), and leaves you breathless from laughter. There is a freedom in the ocean—a kind of joy that can’t be measured or bought, only felt.
And when we weren’t being tossed around by the waves, we were simply soaking in the beauty of the coastline, the vastness of the Pacific stretching endlessly before us.
“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
Unexpected Visitors
One of the things that made our trip so special was the constant presence of wildlife, sometimes in the most unexpected places.
One morning, we glanced outside our hotel room window and had to do a double take. There, lounging in the sun as if he owned the place, was a massive sea turtle—completely unfazed by the world around him. Just sunbathing, right outside our room!
And then, of course, there were the whales.
Every single day of our trip, we watched mother whales and their babies frolic in the waters just beyond our balcony. Every day. It never lost its magic. Seeing them breach, roll, and glide through the waves was like witnessing something sacred—a reminder of how vast and wild and breathtaking the world still is.
Hawaii isn’t just beautiful because of its landscapes. It’s beautiful because it teems with life, in ways both big and small.
“There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child.
There are seven million.”
— Walt Streightiff
Embracing the Spirit of Adventure
Our days were filled with exploration. We hiked through rainforests, climbed over ancient lava rock formations, and dipped our toes in both white and black sand beaches. We snorkeled in crystal-clear water, where vibrant fish darted around us like living rainbows.
The Big Island is a place of contrasts. One moment, you’re standing on the rim of a volcano, gazing at hardened lava that once flowed freely, reshaping the land itself. The next, you’re walking through a lush, green valley where waterfalls tumble from great heights, crashing into pools below.
And the best part? We got to experience all of it together.
Every new place we explored, every new adventure we embarked upon, was shared. Watching the wonder in our children’s eyes as they saw their first sea turtle, the excitement in their voices as they spotted a dolphin leaping from the water—those are the moments that make life truly rich.
The Beauty of Living Simply
Of course, choosing experiences over possessions means making sacrifices. It meant letting go of the idea that we needed a perfect home with perfect furniture and a dream kitchen with marble countertops. Instead, we chose a different kind of dream—one that had us catching waves instead of scrolling through catalogs, collecting memories instead of things.
And we would choose it again, a thousand times over.
Because at the end of the day, it isn’t the size of your home that matters. It isn’t the fancy countertops or the latest gadgets. It’s the moments those fleeting, magical, unforgettable moments—that shape the story of your life.
Standing on the shores of Hawaii, feeling the ocean breeze, watching our children laugh and run freely we knew we had made the right choice.
What Dreams Are You Chasing?
Life moves quickly. The years pass in the blink of an eye. And if we aren’t careful, we can find ourselves always waiting—waiting for the “right time,” waiting until we feel more secure, more prepared, more ready. But what if the right time is now?
Maybe for you, it isn’t Hawaii. Maybe it’s something else entirely something that tugs at your heart, something that makes your soul feel alive. Maybe it’s learning a new skill, starting a new chapter, or taking a leap of faith into the unknown.
Whatever it is, don’t wait too long. The world is wide, and adventure is calling.
So tell me, what dreams are you chasing? And more importantly, when will you start catching the trade winds in your sails?
