OHANA
Ohana in the Hawaiian language
refers to family and relatives.
All around the world and all across our country I still believe ohana
takes precedence in our lives. I
especially feel that here in Hawaii.
Ohana and aloha (love, greetings; regret, sympathy, compassion, grace;
farewell; to love; beloved; too bad, how sad) I experience and feel here on a
daily basis.
And it's not just with my human
counterparts but with the animal kingdom as well. I wake up each morning to my pua'a ( pig, pork) ohana.
I have been so fortunate to have been able to give them joy in their lives, as
I have received joy from them a thousandfold.
These wild pigs have shown me what
ohana means in the simplest of terms.
I've been with them through their pregnancies. I have learned they
don't introduce me to their keiki (child, boy) until at least two or three days
after birth. I have learned that
they will stay away two days after trauma, like a member of their ohana being
killed or trapped. I’ve been with
them through death. The entire
ohana will raise their razorbacks and squeal if you pick up one of their
keiki. Life for them is about survival which also includes relaxing,
loving and bonding with each other.
When they sleep they like to be
touching one another, sometimes piled atop one another. When they're hot, which happens daily
here in Hawaii, they need water to cool off, like hippopotamuses. They'll often sit in their water
trough, sometimes three at a time. When they're hungry they look cute and
look at their Auntie Nee Cee (me) for the crust off her sandwich.
They have allowed me to hand-feed them,
paint them, pet them, and, yes, even kiss them. But they will always be wild animals and can take my face
off in a blink of an eye like a pet chimp. Yes, I have been bitten by one, but it was a love bite (and
I consider my scar as a sign of love and treasure it as the ultimate Hawaiian
tattoo).
I have done them no service by
loving them as they are here on this island as a food source. Loving them has only made them easy
targets for the imus (underground ovens).
Loving them from afar seems to be working much better, wisely, and more
humanely.
We still give each other joy on a daily
basis. They know I am one of the
two-leggeds who they can hilina’i (trust) and they are safe with me. I can feel that from them. And they have told me that, through the
generations I have been blessed to witness, as, yes, we do communicate, through
our eyes. Eyes can tell so much
from the ‘uhane (soul) and I have
got to experience that!
Many of you know I have also been
blessed with the gift of recovery.
Oh, that explains it, you murmur under your breath. That's why Dee
is so lōlō (paralyzed, numb; stupid, dumb
[pakalōlō=marijuana]). Perhaps,
doesn't matter. As long as I can
remember I've always been a bit quirky.
But the point is that recovery has given me back simplicity and
survival. And very importantly it
has bestowed back to me the precedence of ohana, and has awarded me my sense of
self, without which I would have none of the above.
I have the most beautiful and loving
ohana who continued loving me until I could love myself. And my Higher Power has graced me with
the most awesome husband who loves me, my quirkiness, and my disease. He calls me on my shit, yet nurtures me
and encourages me to be the best that I can be. How cool is that? How blessed am I? and all because of
my Higher Power, my ohana, and the fellowship.
With that I shall end for this week. Embrace this day because it is the best
you will allow it to be! Remember you are not alone and that you have an
ohana that loves you and will guide you to be your best. And don't forget to give away what has
been so freely given to you. Have
a mighty fine day! I love you all!
Aloha, Dee
P.S. For those of you interested in my artwork, recovery and non-recovery related, please check out my website at DeesignsByHarris.com
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