Stardate 11.26.2025
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and my heart is already brimming with gratitude. As I look back on our family trip to the Big Island, I’m grateful for every person God placed along our path—but one encounter in particular stayed with me so deeply that I decided to wait until I returned home, so I could honor her story with full attention and both hands on the keyboard.
Crystal was more than a seatmate. She was a guide, an encourager, and a bright reminder that God still sends angels into ordinary places—sometimes right there in the middle seat on a crowded flight to Kona.
Before I tell her story, I want to share the wonderful list of recommendations she gave us. Her tips were like having a personal local guide beside us. While we didn’t have time to explore them all, I’m sharing the full list for anyone planning their own adventure to this beautiful island.
Crystal’s Big Island Travel Tips
Kona
• Ne’ne Restaurant — a speakeasy-style experience
• Geco Girls Shaved Ice — vanilla/ube ice cream on the bottom, condensed milk on top (Alii Drive)
• Cinnamon Farms
• Coffee Farms
• Pickleball courts next to Huggo’s On The Rocks
Hilo
• Sunset Terrace — pool and barbecue area
Kona–Keahoe
• Golf, restaurants, and pickleball
Kohala (all areas)
• Botanical Gardens (three on the island)
• Animal Rescue Reserve in Waimea
• Volcano National Park
• Captain Cook
Hilton Resort area
• See the dolphins
• Take the boat ride
• Ride the train
• Visit the spa
• Explore the Queens’ and Kings’ Shops
Crystal’s Story
I was originally assigned the window seat, but something inside nudged me to offer it to my wife. So I settled into the middle seat for the flight from Phoenix to Kona. My mom had boarded early and was seated several rows behind us. Crystal, however, was one of the last passengers to step onto the plane.
She slid into the aisle seat beside me, offered a warm smile, and introduced herself. From the moment we took off, our conversation flowed with such ease it felt as though I were talking to a mirror—only the reflection was a female version of my own adventurous spirit.
Crystal was excited to share her favorite places on the Big Island, the island she and her family call home. Her energy was contagious.
“I want to be an entrepreneur,” she said, eyes bright with hope.
She told me how her dad started by buying up snorkel gear from thrift stores and renting it out to tourists. The business grew into a food truck, which eventually helped fund a vacation rental the family owned for 25 years. From hippy surfer to financial freedom—that’s the dream. And that same spark lives in Crystal.
I asked her what her first step was.
“I’m working on a coloring book,” she said, pulling out her phone to show me drawings filled with personality and heart. She also wanted to include her personal story in the pages.
I encouraged her to consider two books—one just for children, and another for adults. I shared my own journey into independent publishing, including the coloring book I'm creating for the children at our local hospital. I could see the wheels spinning as we talked.
When I asked what inspired her project, her answer stunned me with its depth.
“I’m an esthetician,” she said. “I travel and help burn victims heal their skin. My patients look younger when they do treatments with me.”
Her photos confirmed the healing power of her work. She travels nationwide, helping survivors rebuild confidence and restore hope. She wants to offer coloring books as a source of joy during their recovery.
By the time our plane dipped toward Kona, I realized something: if I had met Crystal before publishing The Adventures of Castaway Wilson, she would have had her own chapter. Instead, I’ll do something even better—I’ll help her publish her coloring book, and I’ll gladly stand with her when she’s ready to share her story with the world.
Crystal, thank you for opening your heart to me on that flight. My family and I will be back on the Big Island one day, and when we do, we’ll make sure to check off the rest of your list. I can’t wait to share your books with my readers when they’re ready.
Mahalo. Aloha.
Captain’s Addendum
Bones: “Spock, remind me again why angels seem to prefer airplanes over starships?”
Spock: “Doctor, it is statistically more likely for humans to initiate conversation when confined to a limited seating arrangement at 38,000 feet.”
Bones: “You could’ve just said, ‘People talk more on planes,’ you know.”
Spock: “I believed I did.”
Michael: Gentlemen… perhaps the message is that God uses whatever space we give Him—airplanes included—to place the right people beside us at the right moment.
Scripture for the Journey
“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some have entertained angels without knowing it.” — Hebrews 13:2
Gratitude to Carry Into the Day
Today, I’m grateful for divine appointments—the unexpected moments when God places an angel beside us and whispers, “Pay attention. This one matters.”
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