The Most Beautiful Thing About The Giving Tour
This is going to sound like hyperbole but I'm being honest when I say that The Pololu Valley is one of the most beautiful places I have EVER been! Rolling green hills, dotted with ironwood trees blowing in the wind, elevated netted platforms scattered through the canopy, mountain born freshwater moving decidedly across the landscape passing a smooth stoned pathway toward the reveal of a curved black sand beach cove framed by towering emerald green bluffs. EPIC!!!!
What's even more amazing is that on The Giving Tour, Pololu wasn't the most beautiful part of the experience. It didn't even make second place. I'll explain...
So coming in at the second most beautiful part of the experience was The Intention of the day. Hawaii has no shortage of adventurous experiences to be had, but this experience had a heart! Knowing that I was there not only to marvel at the beauty but to take responsibility for maintaining it, gave the day a completely different emotional note than the rest of my trip. I felt like I was on a mission and that this amazingly gorgeous and powerful place knew about my mission and loved me for taking the time to tend to it. What an amazing feeling.
All that said, the most beautiful thing about The Giving Tour is without question the hearts of it creators, Devin & Sam who are also it's Tour guides. After being blessed to have lived in this part of The Big Island for years these two giant hearted angels decided to find a way to both share the wonder of this majestic place with visitors, and have those visitors join them in loving up this land. When you meet these two transplants you recognize immediately that there is an inner glow, a deep seated gratitude that bubbles to the surface and emerges as a lighthearted exuberance for life. There is something about their cadence, their flow, that engenders both an optimism and sense of certainty. I knew immediately that I was in good hands and that it was going to be a good day. Maybe it was the way Sam wielded a machete and masterfully cut open coconuts for us to drink from before embarking on the hike. Mind you, these were coconuts he had previously CLIMBED A TREE to acquire for us! Or maybe it was Devin's abounding humor and infectious laugh as she strapped Baby Kelly, their 6-month old wonder child, to her chest in preparation for the descent into the valley. Faced outward, arms and legs waving, smiling as large as is tiny-humanly possible, his adorable joy touched us all.
An incredibly beautiful place, and incredibly beautiful intention, and some incredibly beautiful people guiding us through the day. I'm so grateful to shared in this experience and I hope that one day you get to do the same. read more