Cairns
Ever since I saw the manmade stacks of rocks on my trip to Hawaii, they seem to be popping up everywhere—including my house. Cairns, as they are known are created for various
reasons and have been used, quite possibly since prehistoric times.
In his book, ‘Cairns: Messengers in Stone,’ David B. Williams writes: “What’s more basic than a pile of rocks to communicate with others? … We’ve been doing this for thousands of years. Native cultures have used stone stacks for reasons both practical and sacred. They honor
deities, remember the dead. The human impulse to stack rocks is difficult to explain, but it’s real.
They are these most amazingly simple little structures that do carry so much meaning…They’re
pretty powerful.” Cairns mark trails, routes and vortexes, they communicate with the traveler.
Rocks are not only powerful, they can heal and calm. Our ancient ancestors were well aware of
the power of stones. From the magnificent structures they built to the simple but necessary act of
grinding corn and other grains, history is littered with how stones impact our lives.
Since my recent move to Las Vegas, I have been a bit discombobulated, actually quite a bit to be completely honest. In many ways I didn’t just move to a different house, I moved to
a different life.
All the comforts I had, the routines I created and the joy of seeing many of the friendly faces I encountered are gone.
The friendships I’ve built throughout my life are still there, of course and it’s times like these that I’m even more aware of how valuable they are.
Cairns have inspired me so much, I’ve built several of them in our new house. Seeing them on a daily basis is not only helping me heal, it’s helping to keep me calm—which I really need these days! They’re also a reminder of how people have revered stones and incorporated
them into their lives for many thousands of years. They make me realize that people have been
changing, growing and surviving through the most difficult of times.
They remind me that I will, too.
David B. Williams, ‘Cairns: Messengers in Stone, 2012
Today we’re heading up the southern part of Kauai from Poipu, then driving to the northern part of the island to spend the day at Hanalei beach.
The town of Hanalei was hit with severe rain in April of 2018. Fifty inches fell
in a twenty-four hour period. This triggered severe flooding and horrific landslides. Many of the locals lost their personal possessions when they were swept away by raging waters. Many of them are still in the process of trying to rebuild and recover. Today, we will be witnessing some of the after effects from this historic storm.
The weather has been perfect since I’ve arrived in Kauai. It looks like a fantastic day to hit the beach!
As I sit on the lanai, the aroma of my Kona coffee grips my senses and I smile really big. I see a gaggle of roosters and hens roaming the sacred grounds right next to our condominium. Every where you turn, you see them. Roosters even hang around the parking lot at the local Walmart Store.
Yesterday, I befriended one. I named him George. I made the mistake of feeding him in the wee hours of the morning. Today, he starts crowing at 4:30 a.m. right under my window insisting that I feed him breakfast. So I fed him even though it was rude of him to wake me up.
As Beth and I prepare for the days activities—mostly laying on the beach—I decided to load the bags in to the trunk of the car. As I enter the parking garage, I’m gingerly walking behind a frail elderly man who was using a walker. Suddenly, he breaks into song. He’s singing like he’s Chubby Checker and he’s twisting his hips while clinging to his walker. He doesn’t realize I’m walking behind him, so I surprise him by joining in on the chorus and nearly scared the pants off him. He turns to me and he’s redder than a beet.
“Aloha, this is embarrassing!”
“Don’t be embarrassed. You are the highlight of my morning,” I tell him. Shyly, he lowers his head and continued his walk.
It was a brilliant way to start the day.
By: Rhonda Brunett 
Today we traveled an hour west up the Na Pali Coast through Kauai to go hiking on the trails in Koke’s State Park. Everyone from Beth to Google says that this park holds some of the most gorgeous trails on earth and since I’m still awestruck as I write this, they were absolutely correct. These trails were the most glorious that I’ve ever stepped foot on.
As we headed up the coast, Beth pointed out in the faint distance a Native Island called, Nihau. This island is eighteen miles long and five miles wide. It’s a semi-desert with no permanent streams and very little rain fall. The island is home to only natives and they speak only the native language on Nihau, no visitors are allowed on this island.
We purchased fresh pineapple juice from a vendor on the first of several breathtaking lookout points for our picnic after the hike.
There is a huge sign for Koke’s State Park and we gather all of our gear and hit the trails, which are challenging, as well as awe-inspiring. We couldn’t help but stop repeatedly to soak up the view.
The rain comes and goes periodically while hiking and it’s very refreshing. I’m drenched in sweat from pulling myself up on the rocks to take in a beautiful mountain stream. The clouds have miraculously disappeared and all I can see is a magnificent quilt of textures and colors that brings tears to my eyes. I’m feeling very blessed and immensely grateful.
Initially, Beth said that she wouldn’t want to spend big bucks on a helicopter excursion. I’m glad I agreed with her, as we both prefer to experience Hawaii on foot then view the islands from the sky.
But as this magnificently exhausting day ends, I turned to Beth and said,“I changed my mind. I’ll go up in a helicopter when I’ve passed away. Someone can sprinkle my ashes all over this spectacular site.”
By: Rhonda Brunett