Cameron Browne- Hawaii

My family and I took to Hawaii a couple of summers ago. We went to Kaui and Maui- by far my favorite island. Maui was magnificent, with its majestic waterfalls and gorgeous white sandy beaches. We took a trip up to the famous Haleakala volcano, which stood up over 10,000 feet from sea level and extended into one third of the earth’s atmosphere. When I stood on the top peak of what remained from the explosion, I could see the whole island. Everything was so beautiful in its own way; the tops of the trees stood thousands of feet below me, the pineapple fields filled the land below, the plentiful waterfalls appeared minuscule, and the coast seemed miles away. To the rest of my family it was just a beautiful landscape but I felt something different. It seemed at the time like life was at a standstill- nothing was moving and no time was lost. It was a feeling that I have never felt before, and although it is so hard to explain, I felt as though that view from the volcano changed my perspective on life. The cool summer breeze wisped by my hair bringing a spirit to the top of Haleakala that morning. I felt so small standing on the once active volcano, and that moment was one I will never forget.