Beyond Extraordinary                        

By Virginia Beck

Contributed photo

In a world where fact and fiction have begun to spin out of control, the sheer physical beauty of Kaua‘i is a wake up call, no matter how often you have seen it. Even the air refreshes your spirit.

The first sunset, the next wave, the startling miracle of brighter-than-neon rainbows, not just one, but a double rainbow! The full moon slashing a silver trail across the water to the foaming shore at your feet gives you a thrill, and it is clear that you are somewhere magical.

The reality of Kaua‘i, every day is more than most Hollywood studios can conjure up, though they are constantly trying. Many films have been made here, as the many different faces of Kaua‘i mirror the different geographies of place and time. Nature is a magnificent artist and hard to match.

There is a reason memories of Kaua‘i haunt her visitors with visions deeper than dreams and more eternal than videos can evoke. The sheer sensation of being fully alive in this place at this moment, with those you love, defies all imagining. It etches patterns in your heart and brain that are unforgettable.

Lovers flock to Kaua‘i because the enormity of her power and majesty arise from an ocean more powerful than many have ever seen. Her mountains, swathed in sunrise clouds and cloaked in the green velvet of forests and ferns call forth the brave, the bold and the beautiful to come and enjoy the world that is so alive and fertile.

From the splendor of Na Pali to the solitude of Polihale, a hundred microclimates and the scenery to match are tucked into the folded mountains and the valleys that spill down to the shoreline.

Cloudscapes and lighting send cinematographers and videographers into frenzy, and writers and artists fall over themselves, trying to find new ways to say, “I love you. You are beautiful. Spectacular. Amazing.” Creating love letters in praise of the island.

Our musicians and songwriting and composing contests are a wonder. The Kaua‘i Writers Conference in late fall is attended by agents, publishers and talent from around the world, as well as the startling, richly diverse population of writers, publishers, filmmakers and playwrights who live here.

Dance, especially traditional hula, is an ancient native Hawaiian tradition. Children enter training willingly from toddler status until they become the elder graces of the hula community. The hula halau (schools) teach respect for native values, teamwork and loyalty, and demand great athletic ability. There is no age limit, and many an older person has been danced back into their youth through the music and the traditional dances.

Botanical bounty, waterfalls, rivers, ponds, streams and wide beaches provide scenery backgrounds and beauty enough for a lifetime. No wonder weddings, engagements, anniversaries, birthdays and family celebrations are held on Kaua‘i. Many of our resorts are a constant celebration.

Along with the surprisingly harmonious mix of cultures and resulting marriages, the beauty of our people is extraordinary. Our blended hybrid culture is a community, an extended family of people engaged in making sure Kaua‘i stays Kaua‘i and doesn’t turn into Coney Island or Las Vegas.

The varieties of beauty, scenery and settings make Kaua‘i the Garden Isle we love. Please share your aloha in helping to care for Kaua‘i and respecting its culture of aloha. Share with others the qualities and manners you wish to see around you. Aloha.

• Virginia Beck, NP and Certified Trager® Practitioner, offers Wellness Consultation, Trager Psychophysical Integration and teaches Malama Birth Training classes. She can be reached at 635-5618.