KIA ORANA


YESTERDAY MORNING WHILE LYING ON THE COUCH
IN A STATE OF SLUMBER, BEAUTIFUL IMAGES KEPT POPPING INTO MY HEAD. MANY WERE SO BEAUTIFUL THEY STARTLED ME BACK TO CONSCIOUSNESS.

THEY WEREN’T ANYTHING SPECIFIC, FLOWERS, TATTOOS, EXQUISITE COLORS, ALL MANNER OF OBJECTS AND CULTURAL MOTIFS OF THE PEOPLE I HAD JUST MET. FAMILIAR, UNFAMILIAR, SOME WERE UNLIKE ANYTHING I HAD EVER KNOWN.

I WAS PARTICULARLY MOVED BY AN IMAGE OF A STARLIT WALK, WHERE ONE’S VIEW OF THE HEAVENS IS NOT ENCUMBERED BY ARTIFICIAL LIGHT. WHERE ONE NAVIGATES BY THE RUSTLE OF WIND BLOWN FOLIAGE ON ONE SIDE, AND THE GENTLE ROAR OF THE SEA ON THE OTHER.

AS A TEAR ROLLED DOWN MY CHEEK, I THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS IT WAS THE SPIRIT OF ALOHA, KIA ORANA, REMINDING ME THAT IT HAD TAKEN A PART OF ME, AND THAT, I WAS NEVER TO FORGET ITS LESSONS.


Ricardo Hernandez © 1993

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