The Aloha Spirit

We’ve all heard the word aloha. This term is used in every day life, whether it’s greeting a family, friend, or stranger.  This is the basic usage of the word, however aloha is so much more than that. It means love, compassion,  grace, and kindness.  The English language does not have a synonym, but perhaps a comparable word would be from the Greek, agape.

Photo credit: Philipson Photography

A very wise teacher of mine once told me that to define something means to set limits and restrictions on a word. The fact that aloha has so many definitions can only mean that it is a word without any restrictions, which is how you should express it — without boundaries, limits.  Aloha is what you feel. It lives insides of your heart and when you express aloha, you share it with the world.

You need to understand the concept of aloha before you understand the concept of the “aloha spirit“. Just as aloha is love, compassion, and grace; the spirit of aloha entails living with aloha day to day.

To embody the aloha spirit simply means to have good feelings toward other people, without limits.  Above all, the aloha spirit symbolizes acceptance — of all.

The Aloha Spirit in Action

A couple of weeks ago as I was walking to my geology class, I saw someone on the sidewalk trying to pump air into a flat tire. It was obvious that the teenager didn’t have a clue what he was doing. I would have offered to help, except that in the process of giving my assistance, no doubt I would have found a way to flatten the other tire as well. So I kept my distance, but I saw a homeless man walk by him and then double back. He bent down next to the boy and chatted with him for a little bit.  I watched as the teenager sort of leaned away from the man, as if a little frightened by him. I was worried too.  Yet, the man reached down and adjusted the pump in the tire and then he handed the pump back to the boy and walked away.  Soon the tire was being inflated with air.  The boy called to the man and said, “Uhh…hey thanks!”

There is a Hawaiian proverb that says, “I ka ‘olelo no ke ola,” which means “in the language or word is life.” If you live by this word, you will live by a concept that can literally change the world.

Be warned, the aloha spirit is also addicting! What are your favorite experiences with the aloha spirit?

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