You don’t really know what you’re made of until life decides to test you in real time…preferably while you’re thousands of miles from home, limited on resources, with a kid watching your every move.
Hawaii was supposed to be a reset. Sun, ocean, exhale.Instead? It turned into a masterclass in surrender, resilience, and “well…this is some absolute bullshit.”
We got trapped in Maui because of massive flooding. And despite all of the self declared “locals” commenting on my TikTok, not just rainy season in Hawaii. We’re talking full on state of emergency declaration type storm. And we were on the ocean with an 8th floor ocean view front row seat! Massive flooding. Roads closed. Plans? Gone. Control? Laughable. We were stuck in a hotel, with the first floor and restaurants flooded out. watching the storm roll in increasingly harder while I tried to keep it together on the outside.
Because here’s the thing about being a mom – and especially the kind of woman I am – people assume you’re unshakable. It’s Allie, she’ll be fine! But I was scared. Not cute, aesthetic “this will be a story later” scared. I mean real, tight-chest, worst-case-scenario playing in your head, tucking the curtains in around the glass doors Incase they explode kinda scared.
And then, just when we finally made it across the island to the airport, flew out and thought, “Okay…we’re good,” life said, “Hold my beer”!
No lie, OVER halfway to the mainland, our flight turns around because of an onboard fight. Chaos at 30,000 feet. Back to Honolulu we go! One asshole derailed an entire airplane full of people, all their plans, and the schedule for the whole airline crew..
At that point, I could’ve spiraled. I could’ve lost it. I could’ve let the fear, the frustration, the complete lack of control take over. And I’d be lying if i said it didn’t really, really try.
But instead, my son – my incredible, watching-everything son – looks at me and says:
“Well, I may be off-roading on the road to Hana with Mama but we’ll make it. Because we’re survivors.”
And damn if that didn’t hit me straight in the soul.
Because THAT is the lesson.
Resilience isn’t pretty. It’s not curated. It’s not a highlight reel with a cute quote slapped on top. It’s messy. It’s uncomfortable. Hell, sometimes it just flat out hurts. BUT, It’s choosing to stay grounded when everything around you feels unstable. Its continuing to respond instead of react. Its laughing instead of crying.
It’s leadership – real leadership – not in a boardroom, but in the moments where people are looking at you to decide if they should panic…or push through.
It’s emotional strength. It’s showing your kid (and yourself) that fear can exist in the same space as courage.
It’s choosing not to crumble, even when it would be completely justified.
And maybe most importantly?
It’s realizing that even when you’re “off-roading” through life – off plan, off track, completely out of your comfort zone – you’re still moving forward.
You’re still leading.
You’re still surviving.
And if you’re anything like me?
You’re doing it with a little bit of grit, a lot of heart… and just enough sass to say, “Alright life, what else you got?”
Realizing that you’ve already survived 100% of the worst days you’ve been dealt and giving yourself the credit to know you’ll find a way through this one too!! I mean it might be Al-NO-ha for us rather than Aloha on the whole of Hawaii for the time being, but survive we did.
#GritGraceandGratitude
