The full moon over Kailua this week has me reflecting on stories and memories from the past.

Witnessing the moon rise in Kailua has a special feel to it that would be hard to replicate anywhere else in the world. The lunar event incentives groups to gather at the beach to say goodbye to the sun and welcome the bright moon in all its glory.

Personally, the full moon over the water reminds me of my mother and how her influence instilled a powerful love of art in my life and my career. An art teacher by trade, my mother taught the subject at historic Hawaiian establishments such as Punahou School and the Honolulu Academy of Arts. With a lifelong passion for the world of art, she made sure I was also educated on different styles and movements, most notably impressionism. At a young age, I was well versed in the works of major Impressionists such as Monet, Cézanne and Renoir. My mother helped me to develop an eye for art all around us, predominantly in nature. 

In the early 1960s, one of our favorite mother/son activities was to wander down to Kailua Beach at nightfall and watch the coast transform into a world unknown. The sunset on the west side of the island often projects reflections of color over the Nu'unau Valley down to the windward community below. At times, contrary to science, the sky dances with colorful clouds as if the sun was setting in the east.

Once the colors fade and the moon rises over the horizon, the aura of the beach experiences a type of metamorphosis. Walking the beach side by side with my mother, the familiar natural landmarks transformed and awakened the feeling of traversing a wild, remote land. The moon casted shadows of our form onto the beach and reflecting light off the white foam of the incoming tide painted pictures in the waves.

As my mother got older, one of her most predominant requests was for moonlit strolls down the beach whenever I came to visit the house. Over the years, the walks steadily became shorter and more leisurely, but I knew it was important and always prioritized my schedule for this quality time with family. 

If you need a reference to believe how magical a night walk on Kailua Beach can be, ask former President Obama. A friend close to the Obama family relayed a story to me of a spontaneous, presidential jaunt down the beach. One night, while vacationing in Kailua at the Kailuana Place - Paradise Point, Obama inquired with Secret Service about the possibility of making a moonlit stroll a reality. Figuring the night sky would provide an increased level of anonymity, Obama was granted his request. For five miles, down and back on Kailua Beach, Obama was able to stroll in the sand under the guidance of the moon, without any interruption.

The rising of the moon is the marker of a change in our day. The moon is magic for the soul and light for the senses. Hopefully whatever you are going through in life, the moon can provide some guidance on your path.