The sun...a caress of warmth upon my skin. The sand...glittering beneath my feet while creating momentary impressions of places I have been. The sea...powerful yet gentle, untamable yet inviting. Coconut trees...rainforests...waterfalls...volcanoes...a world of color and culture. My Ohana (family) coupled with my Hawaii...my paradise...the place that holds all that I love...this place is my Home!
I am an Island Girl and for me, being a girl from the islands is everything!!! The Sun...is the energy that fuels me to walk, run, hike, dance hula and have fun! The Sand...is where my family and I search for crabs and seashells...build sandcastles or just lay out on the stretch of beach that it covers. The Sea...is my playground, where I swim, surf, dive, fish and pick opihi (an edible shellfish). The Coconut trees...give me shade from the sun and its fruit provides me with a tasty snack as I chew on its crunchy white meat and drink its sweet sweet milk. The Rainforest...lush and green, protects some of my favorite tropical plants and fragrant flowers like the plumeria, pikake (jasmine), orchids, hibiscus, bird of paradise...all of which I have worn as a lei (garland of flowers) around my neck, a haku (head wreath), an ornament behind my ear, or as a beautiful bouquet of flowers on my koa wood table. Waterfalls…always a breathtaking scene with its rushing waters and translucent rainbows, forever bringing me a sense of tranquility. The Volcano...a connection to my culture. Authors have written legends about her power and ferocity and beauty. Musicians have written songs about her, Kumu hulas (teachers) and their halaus (schools) have performed chants and dances about her. The Ohana (family)...is the foundation of my life and includes grandparents, parents, siblings, aunties, uncles, cousins, in-laws, close friends and even neighbors!
I have often said to my friends and family that “I am an island girl and will always be an island girl! I will live and die on this rock!” As you can see, I am very passionate about living in Hawaii. But I can’t lie, I do sometimes wonder what life is like in other places. I am curious about how they live, what they eat, their cultures, their traditions, their lifestyles. Perhaps it’s time to take that journey, to see the world and to share the Aloha Spirit with everyone I meet! I hope you join me each week, as we travel together on this great adventure! Until next week!
A Hui Hou Kākou (until we meet again),
Island Girl
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