Aloha

Aloha - ‘love, affection, compassion, mercy, sympathy, pity, kindness, grace’. That’s the official definition from the Hawaiian Dictionary. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 1986.

Yes, but - what is it, really?

A spirit. A culture. A way of being. Becoming.

The 10 days in Waimea has taught me so much. Has humbled me. Simplified, and expanded. Expanded time, space, capacity to notice. Simplified the meaning of fulfilment, of connection, and of solitude. Simplified the simplest of joys, magics, astonishments.

“I stayed home to find it.” That’s all. Music, taste, memory, physical touch and non-physical touch, somewhere deep within. By the flowers, the roots, the howling wind, rain, distant lava.

I hope, I never stop being astonished.

I never stop developing fascination. Never stop being serious, seriously, silly. Everything, ‘waiting patiently for my recognition’. People and place. Place and people. One drum. Wagamese or Meyer. Kindred spirits. Kindred. Connected to all things.

That’s what this land and all its inhabitants teach. Living, ‘non-living’. Lava rocks, legacy of ranch working families, fellow cowboy Paniolos, fellow artists, educators, writers, Bubbles the spirit Buddha. Stories in the most unlikely places. The moments in the margins, martinis, blank spaces, hour long runs with a backpack of Foodland groceries, repeating, improvising, dancing. Simply—

Mahalo.

My astonishment bewilders me. The awestruck wonder, for the profound wisdom of this land and the devoted humble kind stewardship by these most beautiful people. What a privilege, even ever so briefly, to have intersected with your spirit.

“Aloha. Aloha.”

Those were the last words I heard Bubbles repeating…

“Pass it forward. Just promise me you’ll pass it forward.”

A hui ho,

xoxo

Skye.pianist

//

“Perhaps.
I’m barely beginning to grasp

The spirit
of
Aloha.

What this land culture people knowledge belief way of being

Really means
“Really”

Except unfathomable so.

Not just the
Energy here
These people
Not just their pace
Their smiles
Their movements
Their language
Their rituals and honouring and way of interacting with all beings

Not just the patience
The friendliness
The hospitality
The ease
The flow with the earth and moon and sun and waves and rain and wind and universe

Not just the dance
The slow calming relaxed music
The lehua
Nene
Poke shaved ice
Trees ancient wisdoms ancient knowledge

Not just the grace the elegance the poise in the natural natural way of being

What is it.
What entails it.

This Aloha.
This Gratitude.
The common shared humanity.

Pass it forward. Pass it forward.

The non commodity non transactional way of being
Gentleness of even the airport security workers

The spirit
The spirit
The spirit

Aloha
Aloha

So deeply precious.
Sacred.
Sacred. That’s it.

Not to be idealized or consumed or possessed
It’s a way of existing so present yet so ancient so future so timeless so authentic so humble so resilient.

Praying for you isn’t the right word.
But I carry your spirit too.

I will pass it forward.
We all create this aloha.”