I’ve been here before pondering aloha, trying to find the specialness we know is here.
Sometimes we forget that this really is paradise.
When bad things happen, children abused, crime sprees, corruption, ripoffs, it throws us off our game, makes us question the specialness here.
It makes us doubt aloha, be cynical about this sacred word we all know is real.
When bad things overshadow us, good things start drifting in like a warm wave to wash over us. It’s all around us.
The shakas, the smiles, the easiness of people passing in the parking lots and the streets.
No place but here do people smile and wave at strangers from their cars as they drive by. We know we are all out here on this island together, so why not wave at people in cars.
In traffic you only wait for one or two cars to let you in. It’s like people can’t wait to show their aloha. The specialness is everywhere.
At the end of a phone call you say a quick “aloha.” Everyday business with county, state and federal people is filled with it. Even the most serious and practical businesses start their phone recordings with, “Aloha, thank you for calling…”
Best of all at the end of the evening news, the newscasters say aloha. The paper you’re reading is filled with colorful pictures of Hawaii and articles laced with local lingo. Almost every story has an island reference just for you kama’aina.
We all know the images, the happy smiles of the tutu as they strum their ukuleles, the flowing arms of the ladies doing hula, dipping and dancing on the stage.
Aloha is not just on the beaches and the streets, it fills our politics, flows into our courts and guides our government.
Aloha is a thread that runs through everything here.
Every new building and important meeting begins with a Hawaiian blessing. At the ground-breakings we see the governor, the politicians and business people wearing maile lei, holding their shovels to start work on the big mall.
Our laws are easy or strict in keeping with a certain gentleness. For instance, the state of Hawaii is very protective of womens’ rights. Also, Hawaii was one of the first to be lenient about marijuana use.
We go easy with neighborhood problems. They even have a legal phrase for how they deal with problems. Everything is “complaint driven.” That is, they nevah do nothing, till somebody complains. It keeps the peace Hawaiian style.
On the other side, strict laws preserve the gentle nature of our islands.
Hawaii has one of the strictest gun laws of all the states. To further protect with aloha, though we need the money, we don’t allow legalized gambling. We care for ohana.
The ultimate example of this unseen sprit of genteness and respect was seen when the Hawaiians protested the TMT. Rows of policemen stood by for months smiling and watching Hawaiians dance and chant to protect their mountain.They never did one thing to stop them. Now that’s aloha.
Never doubt it, my friend.
Those horrible things on the news are starting to fade away. Let them fade, that’s aloha doing its job. Aloha drifts upward.
Dennis Gregory writes a bi-monthly column for West Hawaii Today and welcomes your comments at makewavess@yahoo.com