Do you know what it feels like to be so attached to the place that you live? I'm not talking about pride... No, this "attachment" runs deeper than pride. It's more like family.
Pocahontas described it best when she sang, "The rainstorm and the river are my brother. The heron and the otter are my friend and we are all connected to eachother in a circle, in a hoop that never ends."
Everything: the wind, the rain, the ocean, the trees, the mountains, the animals; they all speak to you constantly, reminding you of who you are and where you came from and where you can go. The very earth is alive to you and you to it. There is a constant flow of energy between you and that place.
Some people don't know what this feels like. And I think for those people they are always in search of that connection... to find a place that feels like "home". But when they search for "home", what they are really looking for is this "attachment" that I am talking about. They are searching for that place that is their family.
This place for me is Hawaii. Hawaii sings to me like a gentle lullaby from a mother to her child; soothing and assuring. Even when the wind howls, it is calming to me because I know that everything will be alright.
I write this because I need Hawaii to know that no matter where I go in life, that it will always be a part of my very being. This land is my family, and I have loved it my whole existence. Also, there are many who do not understand land attachment. They look at land as an object, and that is okay, but know that there are many who look at land as a living thing... a family member and a part of themselves. If you can't understand that than you can't understand me, and I want you to be able to understand.
To those of you who are lucky enough to stay here in Hawaii, take care and cherish this beloved place of mine. Take advantage of the beauty she gives and the spirit she radiates. Here is where I began, and from here I take my next steps into the future... Mahalo nui!
