Well, take it from Mark Twain: 'the loveliest fleet of islands in the world'!! So we started here in 1967 and it's in our bones/marrow. So you ask why not just live here in the islands all the time? Well, then we must have geographic schizophrenia: attached as we are to the South, born and bred by the grace of God in Dixie!!! And then if we lived in Hawaii where else would we go to be rejuvenated in the winter, receiving the aloha spirit, mixing with the rainbow people, visiting our friends, swimming in the healing waters of Kane, going to Shirley's favorite restaurants and eating of the wonderful fruit here!!! Yes we love the South too; the history and culture of both places makes for a pervading mix of feelings, deep rooted and unavoidably living in our hearts and souls. We have our family and friends, our church, Snyder Memorial Baptist, and obligations back in NC from which we cannot be away for too long. We are blessed, but have the (un)fortunate migratory genetic disposition, similar I suppose to whales, salmon, turtles, and various birds!!!
So this is an overview introduction of our tour de force, our gift, we are preparing you for as we take you on this wonderful journey to Hawai'i, islands of beauty, flowers, rainbows and friendship. This is our personal story; it is not like the advertisements, the glitzy vacation come-ons, the one or two week blitz in a travel mag. This is our true Aloha spirit of Hawaii that we have known and know in working, enjoying, and staying here many times, as long as 3 years, as short as 2 weeks, and everything in between. Mahalo for enjoying this blog!!! By this way, we hope that we can impart the aloha spirit to you. Please feel free to make comments!!!
Songs
There is wonderful music in Hawai'i, much of it very popular as you know, a special quality that is haunting and melodic, an ingratiating beat. The best song though that describes the islands or for that matter any place that holds beauty is the one that our grandson, Matthew, learned to play as his first piano piece: Beethoven's Ode to Joy!!! Read the words about dancing sunlight, flowers, living things, that behold the wonder of God's Creation. Here in Hawaii that happens all year long with some variations in the climate; whereas in the winter months up North waiting and patience are the character building traits. So in a way the life style here can be insidious and slowing, maybe seductive but still aware of grace to save one's soul. Aloha, as a poem by Meredith instructs, can mean so many things: love, greeting, but also waiting, paradoxically, in a state of grace. There are no snakes here, he says, but sin can be more surreptitious and may exist in a state of mimicry, not recognizable. Tropic romance being the rational of a hosts of authors who visited these luring visions, bring visitors still attempting to find their paradise here!
So is Hawaii an illusion that after some time it becomes another reality: with the humdrum of every day living, working or paying for it's price tag, handling the traffic, sometimes the heat when the trades stop blowing, or the 'vog' comes in from the volcano on the Big Island with the Kona weather?
Well, when you go without Hawaii for one, better two or three years, you miss it; we don't tire of it. We leave it at our age without strings, without burdens and can therefore not feel tied down, although every time I come here I feel tempted to buy some part of the rock; we did own here nearly 40 years ago and for several years regretted selling, but have reconciled that with our homes back in NC. Then however, as we get older toward our mid-70's I wonder if retiring here in some development for seniors may be attractive. Food for thought.
Food
Speaking of food, we come back to the same restaurants as much as possible: Buzz's Steak House in Lanakai, Waioli Tea Room in Manoa Valley, Hula Grill at Outrigger above Duke's, evenings under the banyan tree with pupus at the Moana Hotel, Liliha Bakery for breakfast or lunch, KaiAina delicious hamburgers in Hale'iwa, Top of the I at the Ilikai for pupu's at the bar, ask for Fred.
Some new places we found are Any Time at King and Kapahula, Asia Manoa, Zippy's many locations, Big City Diner, Frog House on Kalakaua for excellent Korean dishes--important to go with a Korean friend.
For farmer's markets there is the Manoa on Tues and Thurs; be sure to visit the Sat market at Kapiolani Community College and go early for mouth watering grazing of so many different cultural experiences as well as fruits and vegetables, plants for the home table and garden.
Tragedies
Well , I left Honolulu 1 day b4 the tsunami hit, the terrible tragedy in Japan. It seems that about nearly ever time I am coming or going re Hawaii some tragedy happens: Haiti, Samoa, Indonesia, New Zealand, a murder of close ones; now this, the another nighmare. It gives no time to savour our memories; they are replaced by the suffering, the news of death and injury. We are besieged by news of something bigger than what we want to dream about, to hang on to the beauty, the smells, our love, our friends, our occurrences, our journal; all take 2nd place or worse. But this is life, these are the times like in the crying out by David in the Psalms, that we need to be in accordance with the suffering and somehow help out, to reach out either directly or indirectly. We can sit and gaze out from the Moana Hotel at sunset about what we did beyond the western horizon and relish those times, but we must continue to be vigilant of how we can be of service.
Friends
Speaking of friends I must mention them but no names; they will know who they are: a teacher who we have known for 44 years, dedicated to her students, goes the extra mile, holds forensic debates and her students have won many honors; she is forthright and sometimes knifelike honest, telling it like it is; she holds rightfully positions on several boards in the islands; we admire her greatly. We enjoy her company sitting in anticipation of island knowledge and lore.
A pediatrician colleague of mine when we worked together 37-39 years ago but years make no difference as we have continued to stay connected even these last times; he's easy going, we make no demands of each other but we all, including our wives, can enjoy the fellowship and camaraderie over a drink or dinner or hiking or swimming; there's a easy going air and relaxation ambience as well as the value of years mellowing and yet aging in the good way of fine wines.
A husband and wife from another island that I have had the privilege of being on medical missions for over 10 years to Vietnam and Cambodia; they are quiet, non prejudicious, accepting and have hearts of gold toward their fellow man especially those in need. They give of themselves in an almost surreptitious way that demands no attention. I look to them for spiritual inspiration and guidance. It is a joy to be with them on missions or here in the islands.
A friend that I met most in a serendipity way about 4 years ago at a singing in Honolulu, and who happened to be good friends of a family back here in my hometown. He also happened to go to the same church, University Ave Baptist, I attend in the islands. He has become also a valuable friend and witness to our faith. To have friends like these makes Hawaii more than just a paradise; it gives essence to a good feeling and understanding of a special link that can survive 5000 miles and several years of physical absence, but holding on to that spiritual contact.
Then there are the resident mangers of kind of B&B, back to 1993 where we often stay on way to a Vietnam medical mission, or just hanging out on vacation, that have been so meaningful every morning for breakfast, sometimes meeting others who have temporary lodging like ourselves, everyone with a story, funny or sad, to tell, something to add to the fabric of the place. One is about a Japanese young woman teacher at the time who was ordered off the train by soldiers on the way to Hiroshima that tragic day, now a very special lady who quilts and speaks of peace.
I can name so many others: the doctor who has a heart for the Samoan people, that I accompanied on a mission. Another pediatrician whose passion has been the adventures of the outdoors of Hawai'i, hiking, kayaking; the Trukese (Chukese) people migrated to the islands especially Emau the doctor turned pastor, the Cambodion pastor who barely survived the killing fields, the pastor and his wife where I attend church. Of course our physician friends who introduced my wife and me, who first led us here in 1967 by applying for the pediatric residency program, spending 2 years together here, and have continued to interweave their lives with ours over the years.
