I have had the priceless privilege of living in Hawaii and feeling its aloha for much of my adult life.

In 2018, when I moved to Washington, D.C., I felt I could carry the aloha with me since the love and community of the islands embrace the soul — something very much missing from many other places in the world. Unfortunately, that feeling drifted away over time and felt so far away until I decided to get ready to move back.

After the Lahaina fire, seeing and feeling the excruciating pain, suffering and loss, there is an equal but even more powerful sense that the ohana of Hawaii I remember and the loving people of Maui ultimately will prevail.

The land and the spirit of those who come together to bring light and love to one another will accumulate. Maui and its people will fill the void left behind in the ashes. Maui, you will rise again, stronger than before.

Ingrid Middleton

Washington, D.C.

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