There was a time in Hawaii – I’ll never forget it – when the ocean spoke to me of freedom. A storm was blowing in from Japan, and word was that within a couple of days the surfing would be stellar. My partner and I awoke at midnight to the thunderous sound of pounding waves. Makena Beach was several miles away, so we leapt into the car and raced over to check it out.

Makena is about 2/3 of a mile long, wide and undeveloped. It is not a main surf beach; the big surfing happens elsewhere on Maui. But, the waves were uncommonly large for Makena that night. There were no man-made lights, save for several small dots twinkling way off in the far distance.

Uncommon wild beauty

When we arrived, the scene that lay before us took my breath away. The beach and the water were lit brilliantly by a magnificent full moon. Light clouds flitted in and out in the strong breeze. The rolling huge waves frothed white in the blazing moonlight, crashing wildly on the shore.

We took our shoes off and walked. The beauty and power of the scene were intoxicating, and my soul was unleashed in a way I had never experienced before.

Nature speaks to the essence of me

I felt what it means to be just a human being on the Earth, and the inherent freedom of my soul. For just a little while, the pulse of nature ran through me like a jolt of electricity. I felt the wildness and joy of my essence. I was completely alive, and I did not want that feeling to end.

The wild, untamed places discovered in my travels without fail have this affect; they speak to my soul. And I have come to understand this:

Our essence is freedom, and we must never let that go.

Free Spirit | Your essence © Susan L Hart 2019 | Hart Haiku