My honey and I just got home from his 35th high school reunion in Hawaii. This group has the most amazing class spirit – thirty-five years after graduating, almost 1/2 the original HPA (Hawaii Preparatory Academy) Class of ’72 showed up to break bread and ‘talk story’ (as they call it here).

The morning after the traditional big party at a rented South Kohala beach house, a group of about 15 of us made our way to the top of the mountain behind their school – La’ela’e it’s called – to go maile hunting…

Maile is sacred to these islands and holds special meaning for the men of this group – a trek through the rainforest to find enough of this increasingly elusive vine to make leis for their sweeties has become an essential part of their reunion celebration. This is Chrys, wearing hers: