What’s Behind a Sunrise Post?

Moments before…

What’s behind a sunrise post?

It has taken me 11 years to tell this story. It is a tragedy.

It starts on Maui at our home, built on a sand dune just enough streets up to be out of the tsunami insurance zone and to have a 180-degree ocean view. One of our first nights sleeping in our first and only home we have ever owned we woke up startled by repeated loud slapping noises. After a cautious investigation around the dark corners of the house we made our way to the backyard where the moon was dancing on the water. We heard the loud slapping again but this time we could see the culprit. A humpback whale slapping its tail, playing in our paradise.

Because the ocean was yard side, after many failed attempts I realized the windy salty air was no environment for a garden. So I took it to the driveway side of the house and we built boxed beds on the sloped pavement. The houses next door were so close together that my neighbor and I could do a middle school slow dance at the border aka arms distance away.

One sunny morning as I was watering my driveway garden my neighbor unexpectedly and enthusiastically (and that was why it was unexpected – because he rarely made eye contact and never conversation) said, “Hey Holly! Look I was inspired by your garden and made my own box bed!”

Shortly thereafter, my husband was heading to Aspen, Colorado for a job at length. The employer put us up in our own condo, which was mostly for my six-month pregnant self and two-year-old because on these jobs, my husband worked non-stop. We stayed in Colorado for a few weeks, then flew home.

Our first morning back from Aspen, up early per usual with my toddler and growing belly I was excited to go watch the sunrise over the ocean from our windward paradise. Sitting on a bench close to my neighbors fence I felt so happy staring at this beautiful land and my beautiful son playing in the colors of the new day.

I took a photo.

I posted it to Instagram.

It said “Happy to be home to another beautiful sunrise.”

I hit post and then our little world exploded.

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