Watching the world wake up in Hawaii is one of my favorite things to do.
One of my favorite places in the world to be—let alone wake up—is Hawaii. Specifically, Wailea, Maui.
The sunsets here are beautiful. Spectacular. Gorgeous. But for me, it’s the sunrises that make this place truly special.
Each day begins like an awakening.
First, there is the chirp of a single bird, even while it is still dark and the stars remain in the sky. Then, as if God has lightly touched the dimmer switch, the world begins to brighten. More birds start to chirp. A rooster crows in the distance to let everyone know he’s awake. In the background, the waves wash softly onto the shore. There is an almost effervescent sheen over the land as the light slowly rises.
From my vantage point on the lanai, I can see the first glimmer of light hit the water as the gentle morning waves roll in. Soft pinks and purples stretch across the sky as the darkness recedes and the stars begin to fade. The moon, the last champion of the night, holds on for a little while longer before eventually surrendering to the day.
And then the people begin to emerge.
A few early risers amble onto the walking paths, eager to begin the day—not in the hurried, anxious way of a morning commute, but with a sense of joy and curiosity. There is something almost childlike about it. Some are alone, some with children, but all ages are out there to take in the morning. Not to conquer the day as if it were a prize, but to enjoy it as the gift God intended it to be.
That feeling—that excitement for a new day—is what gets lost in our humdrum lives.
How many times have I woken up thinking, Ugh, it’s Monday? Or Tuesday. Or Wednesday. Too many to count. Of course, we have responsibilities. We have work to do, people to care for, goals to chase, dreams to support. But somewhere in all of that striving, we can lose sight of the simple joy of being alive.
Waking up with the world grounds me. It reconnects me to something bigger than my own schedule, to-do list, or worries. In many ways, it feels like prayer—without the formalities, without the structure, without the decorum of organized religion. Just stillness, gratitude, and awareness. A quiet acknowledgment that I have been given another day.
Another day to enjoy.
Another day to explore.
Another day to be amazed.
Another day to share in the goodness of life.
We use the word awaken to describe a freshness of thought or a shift in perspective—to suddenly see something differently than we did before. That is what a new day does. The light falls differently than it did yesterday. The world looks different in the morning than it did the night before. Things feel softer, clearer, and somehow more possible in the light of a rested mind. There is a newness in the day, and if we let it, there can be a newness in us too.
If we sit still long enough to really take it in, we can become part of the world waking up around us. And there is something deeply comforting about that. Even when I am sitting by myself, I do not feel alone. Waking up with the world gives me a sense of togetherness—of belonging to something living, moving, and beautiful.
That’s why I love waking up in Hawaii.
And maybe even more than that, it’s why I love being awakened there.
