Where has all the Aloha Gone!?

Was it National Rudeness Day yesterday? …No? You could have fooled me! I witnessed more inconsiderate, bad-mannered, hasty people in a six hour time span than I have in the past month! Where has all the Aloha gone?

Hawaii is famous for Aloha. That’s one of the reasons I love living here. We use it in greetings, farewells and in expressing love for one another. Besides these common meanings, the word Aloha holds within itself all one needs to know to interact rightfully in the natural world.

Aloha is being a part of all, and all being a part of me. When there is pain- it is my pain. Where there is joy- it is also mine. I respect all that is as part of the Creator and part of me. I will not willfully harm anyone or anything. When food is needed I will take only my need and explain why it is being taken. The earth, the sky, the sea are mine to care for, to cherish and protect. This is Hawaiian- This is aloha! (Unknown)

Aloha must have been scared away by all the nastiness yesterday, as was I. My plan was to hunker down on the couch so I would not be subjected to all the disrespect. No one could tell me to “Quit talking and get to brewing!” No one could speak to me like I was an idiot. And no one could TOUCH me!! When you are customer, is it ever appropriate to touch an employee…NO! (Unless obviously your job requires it. Let me make this clear…MINE DOES NOT!)

I retreated, beaten down. My faith in humanity was diminished. The only thing that gave me any comfort was the ceaseless, pure love of my doggies. They know just how to wag, slobber and lick to make a girl feel all is right in the world. They always have Aloha!

Hasslehof thought a Mexican lunch might make me feel better. I agreed but was a bit nervous about what other atrocities I might encounter. We headed to our local favorite Mexico Lindo and took a seat at the bar. I immediately began self-medicating with large amounts of chips and salsa. I’ll admit, I was sulking like a five year old. All of the sudden, out of the blue, this quiet woman sitting at the far end of the bar all by herself, got up, walked over and offered us the rest of her ¾ full pitcher of mango margaritas. She was leaving and thought we might enjoy them! Now that’s what I call Aloha!! I thought to myself, if all it takes is one person’s Aloha to wipe out all the “un-Aloha” in a bad day, I really need to step up the Aloha I am putting out there! I happily accept this challenge!