Day 207: How to Enjoy a Romantic (Mirror-Free) Honeymoon at Volcano National Park. Oh, and NOW WHAT??

I'm writing tonight from Princeville, HI where Michael and I have been staying since Friday evening.  We were on the "Big Island" the week prior.  

I feel a bit guilty that my blog posts have been infrequent since the honeymoon began, but ... well ... I've been enjoying myself!  And for that, I must thank all of you. I received dozens of comments and emails from readers with great suggestions for fun and affordable adventures.  We've taken a lot of your advice, from a stunning hike on the Awini Trail down to a black sand beach in Pololu Valley, to a beautiful drive up the Hamakau Coast through Waimea, not to mention some of the most delicious roadside BBQ we've ever eaten!  It's been great.

Want a taste for the awesomeness of Hawaii?  Most of you have never heard my voice, so I decided to get creative and record a short "tour" of our bed-and-breakfast near Volcano National Park.  (Mom, you'll love this!) Here it is:

OOPS!! - my iPhone ran out of memory.  My last sentence ended with "... totally adorable husband who is not yet dressed." I pick up again here:

So how has married life impacted my "no-mirrors" project?  It's been awesome.  I'm reminded of the camping trip Michael and I took a few months ago (on Day 94), when mirrors were sparse and I didn't notice or care.  It's been like that, except better.  Yet, I feel even more relaxed on this trip.  Why?  Well, it's not so much because I'm married (sorry babe!), as it is because I'm no longer planning a wedding.  If you remember, being a bride-to-be left me feeling self-conscious and anxious about my looks; I put pressure on myself (or perhaps absorbed pressure from the wedding industry) to be a "stunning" bride.  Well... now that the wedding is over I don't feel that pressure any more.  Now I can just be me.  


But a few critical questions remain: who am I now, without a looming wedding, and still without mirrors? Is there still any point to continuing this project?  Do I need it any more, or has this story reached it's climax?  Furthermore, do I even want to?  In a word: yes.  I do.   I don't know if my wedding was the climax of this story, but here is my sincere hope: if going without mirrors helped me feel strong, confident, and, yes, stunning on my wedding day, I hope I'll continue feeling these things, but additionally gain a quieter and calmer understanding of myself and my body in the blissfully normal months ahead.  I can't wait, and look forward to sharing the journey with you.

Oh, and a curious question: did anyone else have a, "Wow, I'm married.... NOW WHAT??" experience after the wedding?  If so, what answers did you come up with?

Mahalo!

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