Hula and Happiness

Almost a month ago, I had my first (but hopefully, not my last) hula lesson at the Royal Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii.  My hula teacher, Sharise Dudoit #mauihulawahini, has been performing since the age of 12.  She still looks that young to me, but she is mom to three, performing, teaching and giving the gift of happiness through hula.  Here is the short video she captured on my phone after we had rehearsed the dance for about 20 minutes. Before that, she gave me by tea leaf lei, which I still have in my office, and showed me how to make my rosette out of plumeria blossoms.  I learned more than how to dance the hula that day--I also learned how important Nature and its elements connect to the dance--and, most importantly, I made a new friend.  Mahalo (thank you), Sharise.

https://www.facebook.com/anita.fonte.7/videos/10154396837188615/?l=7909234843506875410

Honolulu's Beach Walk Haiku: A Mall on the Streets

Watching people pass.
Each one with a tale
to tell, carried in a bag.

Honolulu hype--
The beach is hidden by stores
Where no soul can shine.

It's about money.
Everything has a high price--
even the sandy beach.

For rent:  chairs, bikes with
floating wheels, shade umbrellas,
mats, boats, snorkeling gear.

But some time past:
Taro fields hugged the waters,
Stars danced in the sky.

Missing Maui

Missing Maui

One day later,

I miss Maui:

The hotel cats on the lush lawns,

The sunset hulas,
guitar music with breezes from the sea.

We walked and talked,

Admiring the aquamarine blanket of water,

The pillowing sand covering our feet

As the tide came in,

Out.

Our son caught sun,

Drank in his fill,

Opened and closed,

Opened again like a flower

On the Golden Shower tree.

We, too, found singular

And coupled rhythms.

And, like the sea,

We ebbed and flowed--

A rhythm we can carry

home.