Trudging through knee-deep, murky water with an ax in hand was not what I initially envisioned when I decided to volunteer in Hawai'i. I've kept myself relentlessly busy, a deliberate effort to avoid the pain of my loss. Ultimately, I've learned there's no cheat code: grief eventually catches up.
I finally decided to meet my pain head-on. I said yes when I was invited to join a group of Alaska Airlines employees as they volunteered for the state's mālama' āina (care for the land) program. Although I was returning for a great cause, it was my first time setting foot on Hawaiian soil since she passed-and my first time visiting without her by my side.
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