Aloha is a Hawaiian word that has multiple meanings. Aloha is a greeting. It is also a way of saying 'good bye'. And of course, Aloha is a way to say, 'I love you'.
Today at the Water Park in west Oahu, I was thinking about Shaka, a funny symbol the surfer in the picture is making with his left hand. It means 'hang loose'.
I thought about it because the ride was named Shaka, and you slid in a two-seater raft down and up the pinkie finger and the thumb. It was very thrilling.
Today was a big day for me. Let me explain.
It was my last day in Oahu for some time.
I really wanted to go back to Waimea Falls, and swim under the waterfall. There is a lot of 'mana' there, earth spirit energy. In 2012 April I went, and it was very moving for me. On my Facebook page, Doctors With Reiki, that is the very waterfall you see on my page.
Today, I called the people at the fancy center education thingy for Waimea Falls business. It IS a business--don't let them kid you. But it is a conservation place too. They were not sure if we could swim under the falls today. The lifeguards are always there, but they draw 'an imaginary line'...for as far as you can go. It's also 'first come first serve'--for safety.
You know what?
I have made some progress in two years and a little longer! I chose to go to Wet and Wild instead!
- It's more fun for both my boy and me.
- Waterfalls are waterfalls, and by intention, the 'lazy river' waterfall I had go on my head--was spirit rich!
- I wanted to be with the people. (as it turned out, today was Kama'aina Wednesday, and many locals came) On my LAST day, I wanted to be with the people of the islands, and enjoy being together, before I had to leave.
Here is my miracle...
At the end, by the gift store, there is a machine that sells little coins for souvenirs. One had a shaka on the front and all SEVEN Hawaiian Islands on the back.
It was one for three dollars, two for five dollars.
I had two dollars and thirty seven cents.
My boy ate a five dollar ice cream bar. Haagen Dazs (twenty carbs and three protein). And I had to miss out.
A nice couple was at the machine. I asked if they were going to do the five dollar one? If there is extra might I join in on the deal? I didn't have three dollars, or even two fifty. Just two dollars and thirty seven cents. They said yes. They took my two dollars, and not my change.
They let me pick the one I wanted. And I almost cried tears of joy. They didn't know me from Adam--and they shared.
Hawaiian people are like that.
I gave all my change to a homeless woman on Wednesday, after I spent all my cash at the drug store getting food and sunglass/eyeglass cleaner my boy wanted.
I gave ten dollars to a man who said his dog ran out of dog food on Sunday.
And now, somebody gave to me!!!
That's not the end of the story. As I admired my coin, a young man played the ukelele. He was GOOD! I asked if I could please watch him strum, up close, because I had been reading and the technique with thumbs and fingers is confusing. He let me watch. The fingers strum down, very low on the fingerboard but above the little hole. The thumb strums UP. And The base of the thumb? It makes a scratchy sound when you want to thump it on the strings.
He said his name was Gilbert, and he shook my hand. I thanked him.
Later, the water park exit worker gave us two sets of coupons for free stuff from Pizza and Taco Place--a national chain--and we couldn't use them back home. As we were wondering who to give them to, we walked by Gilbert, of all people! I asked, 'could you use these?' and he said, 'yes!' So we gave them to him.
And THAT is Aloha!
Aloha and mahalos,
Namaste,
Peace,
Reiki Doc
