Waikiki Winter

"The face of the enemy frightens me only when I see how much it resembles mine." - Stanislaw J. Lec

"What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly - that is the first law of nature." - Voltaire

"They buried the hatchet, but in a shallow, well-marked grave."

- Dorothy Walworth

Winter has come to Waikiki. . .

The nights are cooling, and it is time to bring out the quilts after months of sleeping only under a thin, rayon pareau (sarong). There is snow atop the Big Island's Maunakea and Miss Kitty's fur is regal & thick once again. Visitors may only feel the relative mildness but we who live here, Kitty & I, we know the changes of this `Aina (land/country) in our bones and in our noses. Crystal sharp trade winds bear the scent of Alaska, of thousands of open ocean miles, and vast empires of sky. They pause to pick up smells from yellow ginger, hidden mosses, and tropical soil, as they push themselves over the green Ko`olau mountains that backdrop our toy city like a misty Asian scroll painting. The character of the clouds tells me it's winter. Is it their shape, activity & colour? Or is it their sense of humor as they tumble mumble and disassemble like Circe de Soliel acrobats above us? The Hawaiians of old found ready messages and wisdom in the clouds. Knowing the Kanaka (Hawaiian person) love of fun and word-play, perhaps certain funny-clouds rained punchlines that made the Kahuna chuckle all day. . . their cirrus & cumulus descendants are not telling; Not even me, their cousin Cloudia. . .

. . . Take a moment. Just a moment to stop & take a moment. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Another. Exhale ALL the way. Repeat. Notice the un-noticed sounds surrounding you. Are you cool? Warm? Secretly happy? The clouds won't tell ;-) Just let the thought-express rattle on without you for a while, who cares? YOU don't! Just for a moment. . . Breathe and Be. The moment of calm clarity that arises is yours to keep. Will you?

A L O H A! cloudia