The mainland style of rush, rush, rush - do, do, do - is slowly fading from Dan and I. We came here full speed ahead, determined to quickly start our new lives. But, the island doesn’t work that way. From the moment we stepped on island, things happened in their own sweet time.
We are letting go of our agendas and letting things unfold as they will. Taking our time, enjoying our life in paradise. We don’t rush to get somewhere on time. We leave with plenty of time to get there, and then we let go. If there is an accident or road work, oh well, folks don’t get tweaked if your late. It’s common for folks to be late than not anyway.
According to the Dali Lama, the purpose of life is to pursue happiness. Things that make you happy, thoughts that make you happy, pursue those. Eliminate stuff that doesn’t. Just ask yourself, does this action or thought contribute to my happiness?
It’s pretty freeing.
This week promised to be fun. We went to a birthday party last Sunday in the beautiful valley of Kalihiwai, the beach just minutes away. Monday, I signed up for a writing course and the American Lung Association's Freedom From Smoking program.
The restaurant review was where we celebrated 10 years of marriage, where we dreamed of moving here. The restaurant has an amazing orchid garden and pictures you see are ones Dan got while we were there.
I had a photo tour scheduled so I could write about it for the travel blog (which, by the way, won top listing—from hundreds of contestants—from Tripbase Awards). I had to cancel the photo tour.
Dan started feeling sick Tuesday, the night of the restaurant review. By Wednesday, he was feeling so bad (painful cough, fever, stuffy head, aches and pains) he went to work for a few hours before coming home. I was feeling it too, and got hit hard Thursday. We spent all day on the couch. I was entertaining the idea of going on the photo tour, but I could imagine what their clients would think if I happened to cough, so I cancelled. Friday and Saturday were spent on the couch.
Today, we are better. The fever is gone, the coughing isn’t as bad. We have stuffy heads, the kind that make you dizzy, and feel weak. Dan is going to work for three hours and I’m going to do laundry. I hope to make cookies to bring to the photo tour lady tomorrow. She went out of her way to arrange for us to go, getting an additional driver, only to have to cancel.
I thought I’d share this definition of Aloha. I found it on a website and thought it described the word and the people of Hawaii perfectly.
The literal meaning of aloha is “the presence of breath” or “the breath of life.” It comes from “Alo,” meaning presence, front and face, and “ha,” meaning breath. Aloha is a way of living and treating each other with love and respect. Its deep meaning starts by teaching ourselves to love our own beings first and afterwards to spread the love to others.
According to the old kahunas (priests), being able to live the Spirit of Aloha was a way of reaching self-perfection and realization for our own body and soul. Aloha is sending and receiving a positive energy. Aloha is living in harmony. When you live the Spirit of Aloha, you create positive feelings and thoughts, which are never gone. They exist in space, multiply and spread over to others.
