The Spirit of Aloha

Now that I'm home from our 2 week vacay to Hawaii, I've been doing a bit of reflecting on just what it is about Hawaii that I fell so much in love with just 2 years ago.  I had been to tropical places before, and kind of thought they were all similar, but Hawaii just feels different somehow...normally, I don't like to return to the same place so soon, as I feel that there are just too many places in the world that I want to see.  So I'm trying to pinpoint what drew me back;  it's a U.S. state so that makes the money issue super-easy; renting a car or driving there is definitely not a problem; they all speak English so no language barriers to deal with; not having to go through customs when landing (if you've flown from the mainland) saves tons of time upon arrival; and of course the weather is always warm and the scenery is stunning.

Waterfall on the road to Hana

But while all of those factors definitely contribute to the wow factor of Hawaii, I think there's something else, which the Hawaiian's refer to as the "spirit of Aloha".  While they use "Aloha" for greetings and farewells, it is also the word used to describe the culture or attitude of the Hawaiian people.  Aloha literally translates into "the joyful sharing of life".  In Hawaii I noticed that nobody seems to be rushing or concerned only about themselves...it is laid back (sometimes to a fault, lol) and the "me first" attitude you so often find everywhere else is virtually non-existant.  Most adults are referred to as Auntie or Uncle, alluding to the fact that they view themselves as one big family - even if they're not related by blood.    And of course there are the stories...there is a story about virtually every plant, mountain, or body of water in Hawaii, and they are so very beautiful and interesting to listen to - whether there is any truth to them is irrevelant.  It makes the Hawaiian culture anything but boring and I know that every time I return I will hear something new!

I can't wait to go back! - most likely in a couple of years, but until then, I have so many wonderful memories of this trip that will carry me through until my next visit.  I will share some of the highlights with you in my future blogs in the coming days...until then, Aloha!