Old Friends Book Ends

A  L  O  H  A !

Walking on Saturday evening 
to meet friends, I crossed 
the Kalakaua Avenue bridge.

Around me, our pocket sized 
city of Honolulu

with all the hustle and excitement

anyone could wish for - but no more.

All confined, EMBRACED! between

the rolling Pacific surf and these

glorious, forested, tropical mountains.

I in cool shadow, beheld Awaawaloa

gleaming above in the last full rays of the sun.

I came to Honolulu as an

immigrant from the continent. 
Knowing nothing but 
full of attitude! 
Working the bars, 
as a cleaning lady, as a taxi driver,

taught me this town 'mango tree mailbox'

as the old taxi driving 'uncles' used to say.

Now it is me: I know what used to be there,

 and the name before that. Through hard work, and love, and refusing to leave, 

I made this my town. Now

I am a holder of memory and culture here.

A Kupuna, a 'senior'.

I love this man's native Hawaiian features!

Being an older person here

is very different that what I

saw in my California sojourn.

Here we mix all ages, we never stop

singing, performing, telling dirty jokes,

dancing hula, and holding raffles for

some charity. Saturday night we sent off

an old friend of decades, Gladys, to live

in California with family. 

It's too common a story here. 
Folks built their whole life

and memories in the islands, 
contributed MUCH as Gladys has 
done more than most, yet 
cannot afford to remain as seniors.

I am a VERY lucky duck

that managed to return!

We honor them,

 and we do not spare

the emotion!

Gladys spoke what was on her mind,

surrounded by those she has loved.

 and been loved by for decades

Remember that the most 

valuable antiques are 

dear old friends.      

       H. Jackson Brown

Linking To

Good Random Fun

ꡤꡤꡤꡤꡤꡤꡤꡤꡤꡤꡤꡤꡤꡟ

Glad YOU

are my friend!

            Warmly, cloudia

Aloha `Oe

G did great in his first

concert on Saturday too!