When the Island Hugs You Back

Some places tolerate you. Some places welcome you. And some places, if you're paying attention and if something bigger than you decides it's time, reach out and pull you in like they've been waiting for you all along.

Maui is like that.

The island doesn't perform for tourists. It doesn't care how many photos you take or how many resorts you book. It has its own spirit, its own heartbeat, its own way of deciding who belongs and who's just passing through. The Hawaiians understood this long before anyone flew in with a carry on and a bucket list.

Maui adopted me. I know how that sounds. I can't fully explain it and I stopped trying a long time ago.

Still Pouring is an original series written by Christopher Tuttle, the Route 66 Chaplain. Published exclusively on Substack when the coffee’s ready and the words won’t wait.

Christopher is also the creator of Faith and Good Courage, a journal, vodcast, and podcast rooted in Route 66 and the sacred moments hiding in ordinary life. Read the journal, watch on YouTube, or listen on Apple Podcasts and anywhere you find your favorite podcasts.

Tips are appreciated. Never required. Just like the best diners on the Mother Road. Venmo: @faithandgoodcourage

This is where it started. A chaplain. A keyboard. And a room that finally felt full. Still Pouring is my side of the counter. The honest stuff. The things that don't quite fit the Thursday journal but need to come out anyway. This first episode is the introduction. Who I am. Why I write. Why Substack felt different from everything else I'd tried. And why I'm still here. Welcome to the counter. Coffee's hot. Pull up a stool. — Christopher