It was a purely chance encounter. A little palm frond
covered shelter in one of the windiest coves in Maui,
just on the side of a road that barely showed up on the
map. It was an "alternate" road from Hana, one
that tourists were discouraged from taking by rental car
companies fearful of their cars getting stuck along some
of the hard-packed dirt sections of the road.
It
was an area with spectacular scenery, hugging the shore,
where the roar of the waves crashing against the outcropped
rocks mirrored the passion of the winds which blew fiercely.
Signs of "civilization" were rare - few habitations
were visible along the road and it was easy to believe
one to be all alone on a Pacific island away from time
itself.
It
was around a bend along the shore that we found a frond-covered
roadside stand selling some of the loveliest pieces
of jewelry we had yet seen.
Two
broadly smiling suntanned people beckoned us to come
in and look, while at the same time they struggled to
tie down their shelter against the incredible wind.
We came to find out their names were Lara and Scott.
The jewelry they were displaying on their tables was
unique and beautiful. But it was the good feeling they
generated that made this stop so special.
Within
minutes we were quite comfortably talking. Lara and
Scott had left jobs on the mainland to follow their
bliss in Maui. It was a call of the heart. They had
walked away from the lifestyle and resources that the
corporate world can provide to pursue a dream of living
in beautiful surroundings, feeling free to breathe the
fresh sea air and nature's panorama displayed as far
as the eyes can see.
There
are few things more satisfying than creating. Lara and
Scott's jewelry is unique because of the artistry and
materials they use. They also name all their pieces
which personalizes each creation. One of my daughters
bought a striking necklace in the blue shades of the
ocean. The contrast of the rich blues in the Antique
glass, the soft white hue of the freshwater pearls and
job's tears, which happen to grow on Maui, made an exquisite
necklace. Appropriately named, "Sparkling Waters,"
this piece seemed to capture the joy of water sprites.
Using
varied gemstones, such as blue goldstone — which
is the color of a night sky twinkling with the sparkle
of tiny stars — and wood, makes each piece an expression
of beauty.
Yet,
while their jewelry is artistry, it was the sense of
good feeling that these pieces were imbued with, that
gives one the sense that it is also feeding the heart
of it's wearer. In a world where so much is mass produced,
we have seemingly lost touch with individuality and
the work of the hand. Like a hand-tossed clay pot that
bears the mark of its maker, we put something of ourselves
in everything we make.
The
final note and perhaps the true hallmark of what made
this experience so special, is the honor and integrity
of Lara and Scott. They did not have the earrings to
match the Sparkling Waters necklace. They offered to
make them up and mail them to us. In a world where we
have been taught about so much deception and corruption,
legal protection and abuse, we had a simple lesson in
values. Here, at a roadside stand in an isolated area
of Maui, paying cash for our purchases and with the
only contact information being a post office box in
Hana, we paid for the earrings and left our address.
Sure enough, within a few weeks, we received a little
package with earrings and a lovely note from Lara.
Good
people, doing what they love, and what loves them right
back. The good feelings from their jewelry comes from
the happiness that goes in the making. We each must
pursue our own bliss ...
"If
you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of
track, which has been there all the while waiting for
you, and the life that you ought to be living is the
one you are living." ~ Joseph Campbell
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