Living Aloha

In the Hawaiian language, Aloha means both “Hello” and “Goodbye”. The spirit of Aloha however,
means much more. Its takes a special kind of person to truly live Aloha.

So what must one do to live Aloha? Some would say that living Aloha is comparable to believing in
Karma; what goes around, comes around. Others would say that it’s a state of mind. I think it’s a little of both. In Hawaii, a person is does not earn respect by who they know or how much money they have. Instead, they are judged by the deeds they do.

Here are some things that can help anyone live Aloha.

– “Malama Ka ‘Aina”, which means to respect the land. Hawaii is full of ancient culture and to respect
that culture and its boundaries is to live Aloha.

– Be patient with the lifestyle here. You may hear people say “this isn’t the mainland” from time to time. What they mean is that things just move a little bit slower around here. This is not a bad thing.

– Be courteous to other drivers on the road. Once again, this isn’t the mainland. People don’t rush to get places around here. Drive with Aloha…Live Aloha.

– Share your good fortune with those less fortunate. Hawaiians have always been giving people. If you are hungry, they will feed you, if you are tired, they will give you a place to sleep, and if you break your surfboard, they might let you use theirs.

These are just a few ways to live Aloha. Of course, living Aloha is a lifestyle and must be practiced on a daily basis.

Aloha.