By Jill Steele
Author "Blood on the Orchids
Owner Hawaiian Magic Tropical Flowers
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| Miss seeing this monkeypod. |
Thinking back to our last days in Kapoho, time felt suspended. We were hyper aware. When I look back on the writing I did during that time, it seems like another person wrote those posts. We were living in an altered time where our senses were heightened. We knew what was in the realm of possible outcomes. I didn’t believe the lava would take out our home, the community, Champagne Pond and Kapoho Bay, but I sensed that our life would be changed forever in some ways. Each walk, bike ride and swim was supercharged, meaningful.
“Remember this moment,” I often thought. I miss my neighbors, even the ones I didn’t see daily and even the ones I avoided. I also miss their houses. I knew the story of almost every house in our neighborhood and every day when I walked Luna, I thought about the people who lived in those houses both past and present. “Remember when we found out I was hapai (pregnant) with Shelby? You were working right over there. I remember exactly where you were standing,” I said to my husband during those last weeks. I’m trying to remember my last walk around the neighborhood.
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| Around the neighborhood |
Those last days in Kapoho were unstructured. We lived moment to moment, with water one day and none the next, sharing what news we gleaned from the internet with our neighbors.
I am finding it hard to cope with world events right now. Don’t judge me, but pretty much I search the internet for news of my neighbors and Pohoiki, praying for the lava to stop before it reaches Bowl’s and Shack’s.
There were some terrible moments the day our home and most of our community was taken, when I questioned my faith, but I have overcome my weakness and now hold strong.
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Oh, Jill. Even though we didn't live there year round, I feel your pain. I have had a love affair going on with Kapoho for 15 years, and it is so hard to believe it is all gone. I was obsessed and knew a lot about many of the homes and people. I am still grieving and Kapoho will always hold a special place in my heart. I have a map of the Big Island (an old map and BIG) on my wall - it is so detailed it shows all the streets in the beach lots....I look at it a lot. I also had a print made of the lava approaching our beautiful subdivison. I hope it brings me some relief. I think of you and Drew often. May you find another special place....although we know it won't be Kapoho. Aloha. Pat Starkie
ReplyDeleteAs a former resident of Kqpoho Beach Lots I very much appreciate you sharing your impressions of your final days there. I too am watching the advance on Pohoiki - the People's Park. Mahalo
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