Smells Of The Island

This morning, after waking up in a very foul mood for no reason in particular, I was reminded of how fortunate I am to live on the island. I walked out the door to the pouring rain and the smells of kamachile fruits, mangoes, and fresh flowers. Now, I know what you're thinking... 'Those smells are overpowering, Jess!' It would seem that it would be a little much. But, I found it oddly comforting. The smells brought me back home.

Yes, I've been home for almost two years now. But, for some reason, this morning was the first time I've felt like being home. It was a feeling that brought back memories of my childhood. Growing up with a kamachile tree(with a trunk shaped like a bench) in our side yard under which we used to tell stories, legends, sing, gossip, eat... All the carefree responsibilities of a child. Back then, all the children in the neighborhood were so close. We've since grown up, started careers, broken hearts, had ours broken, some of us had children or moved to the US mainland.

I recently went to a memorial service for 'Auntie Narcy'. Auntie Narcy was... well... Auntie Narcy! She was my aunt through marriage. But, everyone called her 'Auntie'. She took us all under her wing and cared for us while we were playing in her yard. My brother and I grew up with her daughter, Vicky. My point is... At the memorial, we had the chance to chat a little with her children. It felt good to be able to have that common bond of growing up in the same neighborhood. Recognizing the same trees from our childhood. Reminiscing of our carefree days. In that bittersweet moment, we were able to feel like those children again. The children we had long since locked in a closet and kept hidden from the world.