I'm with the Band | Aloha Calling - A Limited Life in O‘ahu

Aloha Calling - A Limited Life in O‘ahu is a personal blog series written by Maryland Artist and Photographer, Teresa Robertson. Gifted the opportunity to reside in O‘ahu with her family for 3 months, Teresa wanted to provide herself and others a way to not take this gift for granted and ensure that her experience was one to learn from, reflect on, and teach others. Through these words, she hopes to do just that.

Rocks and Lava off the coast of Oahu

We are a family on the go. This has always been a part of our identity, engrained in both my husband and me. Our son moved schools every year until the 7th grade and the home we currently reside in is the longest I’ve ever lived in. I moved 5 states away when I was 17, so when it was college time for our first born it seemed totally normal that he go off and explore life a plane ride away.

Through our journeys as a family there have been times we’ve been together and times we’ve been apart. We’ve broken each others hearts due to distance, only to heal through inevitable reunions.

I’d forgotten that heartache.

I’ve been asked the last 3.5 months how things have felt with my son gone - was I sad? With many moves come many new friends, many of which don’t know most of our story. Sad? Three months in? That’s not a thing in this family.

Until my boy told me he was homesick 11 days before I was to leave for Hawaii.

My life has made a major transition since we’ve moved to Maryland. It’s been stable. It’s been consistent. And that has been a little (a lot) uncomfortable. It does seem a little ironic that as soon as we chose to make our life here more permanent, one of our children would pick up the pieces we had dropped and move on.

I never thought Hawaii would bring me a sense of belonging away from the island but maybe that’s the plan.

Tomorrow I'll be miles from here

Ain't nothing to me

Lord I was born with a suitcase in my hand

Living in a life that few could understand

Sometimes it gets so confusing that I don't know where I am

But I always know who I'm with

I'm with the band

xo

Teresa

“Ancestral spirit, family or personal gods”

— ‘Aumakua

Teresa Robertson received her Bachelor’s of Fine Art degree in Photography and Fine Art Illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. After serving as a volunteer for several years with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, she became interested in Birth Photography and Birth Doula (DONA) work as well. She soulfully resides on the island of Oahu, is passionate about preserving the land and culture, and is proud to serve on The Queen’s Court.