First Night in Maui

Despite it being 2 AM in our heads, no matter what the clock says, we stumble down the dark path to the beach. The normally uncomplicated process of kicking off my shoes makes me fall down in the sand, and Katie and I laugh in exhaustion. 

The light from Venus setting in the west lays a faint silvery trail across the ocean, while above, the stars that New York City lights have hidden from us begin to peek out timidly, then more boldly, until they glitter all over the sky.

We stand patiently on the packed sand, counting the waves as they roll in from across the Pacific, until they sweep up over our feet, and the water is so much warmer than we thought it would be.