Aloha Hawaii, two decades later
August 17, 2003: My second moment of extreme courage, radically changing my life. I took a running leap of faith into the unknown. To save myself, that heartbroken girl who always did what she thought was expected of her. To stop drowning in grief and expectation. To finally be free to discover that second chance I gave myself six years prior. To find myself. To chase a dream. I had rented an apartment online, sight unseen. I'd never been on an airplane alone; never even been to Hawaii. I was all alone and so full of hope, yet it was still a day of "do it scared". I did it for me, for my niece and nephews, for Matt, for my future children. So that I could truly have an answer to "what did you do with your one wild and precious life". Little did I know at that moment what a ripple I made not only in my own life, but also for my family. I won't forget sitting at the bus stop months later, answering a call from Dad that he'd made a major l
