I preface this post with a brief explanation of this post’s title for those who may not be familiar with the meaning of “Kama’aina,” which literally means “child of the land” and typically refers to residents of the Hawaiian Islands.

My cousin Briana and I have never lived closer than about 4200 miles apart, but the “wandering gene” we seem to share must have been passed along the generations to reach each of our respective branches of the family tree. Briana, however, has clearly learned some lessons at a much earlier age than her significantly older cousin. I’m continually impressed by how Briana has displayed such an intense appreciation of the beauty of her surroundings and has made a point to take advantage of the splendor that Hawaii has to offer. Yes, it’s true that Hawaii has more to offer in terms of glorious vistas and engaging activities than my home town of Milwaukee, or say, Cedar Rapids or Wichita (no disparagement intended toward any of these fine towns). But there are so many people who live amidst spectacular beauty, who neither appreciate, nor take the time to stop and smell, the proverbial roses.

It took me quite a while to realize that it is way too easy to take our surroundings for granted, whether it’s something as grandiose as Hawaii’s magnificent landscape, a peaceful little lake with crisp reflections of the surrounding forest in central Wisconsin, or a stately Royal Palm tree serenely waving in the ocean breeze along Fort Lauderdale Beach near where I live.  I’ve driven past all of these sights and sites without giving any of them a second glance. Shame on me. Now to right this wrong, I try to make a concerted effort to look at the world around me with new eyes and also ensure that I don’t only encounter these little treasures by happenstance, although these accidental findings are special in their own right. Like my cousin, I strive to seek them out and enjoy these priceless, yet free, riches to their fullest.

Briana’s caption to the photo above – “Not all who wander are lost” – resonates profoundly with me as it so simply and eloquently summarizes my travel philosophy.  My heartfelt belief is that with wandering, the possibility of discovering something of value is so much greater than the danger of finding yourself lost.

I’m thankful for my cousin’s generosity of sharing her photos with me,  and I very much look forward to continuing to follow my cousin’s travels throughout her home, as she explores and experiences Hawaii as a Kama’aina Wanderer.