i went for a luau

A luau is a traditional Hawaiian party. You get to experience many aspects of traditional Hawaiian life and get to make stuff too. The girls made stuff like bracelets and anklets and i threw spears and stuff. We all got lei'd too but it has to be said that I think they lei'd us wrongly or maybe there is a difference between the way you lei a person with a flower lei and a shell lei.


Anyway, I realise the place where I truly let my inner Singaporean out is, surprise, surprise, in a buffet line. Hahaha. Really, it's like I hadn't eaten for days, just piling food onto my plate. My excuse was that it was just super expensive lah. The thing is I guess we were paying for a lot more than an all-you-can-eat buffet, we were paying for a whole cultural experience. They really did go out of their ways to make everybody feel like part of the ohana. (that reminds me, i need to watch lilo & stitch soon)


I've been told recently by several different groups of people that I think too much and so I shall over-analyse this. Firstly, sometime, we overlook the purpose of doing what we are doing and only concentrate on some small insignificant thing. For me, it was like I forgot about the whole experience and just concentrated on the food. (being Singaporean again) I think oftentimes we tend to dwell on the not so special instead of really partaking in the once in a lifetime. This is extremely true in relationships.


In relationships of any kind, family, friends, lovers, we tend to look at what we can get out of them. The gifts they give us or the attention they shower upon us. We tend to miss out the once in the lifetime opportunity, that is, just to be there. Like most people, I only realised that when I started missing my friends and family being away for so long. Sometimes we just need to appreciate the people who are there for us and the people we are there for. Being there is what matters.

Secondly, this experience at the luau made me remember Sheri's family because they made me feel like a part of their family. I truly appreciate what they did for me when I was a stranger in this new land. But, you know what? Apparently, it might just be the land. This land is such a lovely place because most of the people you will meet will readily welcome you into their ohana (family). Now let us reflect upon ourselves, do we welcome strangers and make them feel like part of our families?



You know I think that's what makes people come back to Hawaii so often. There are beautiful beaches in many other places in the world and Hawaii is most probably one of the more expensive and probably the most inaccessible of those places. But people just keep on coming back because of the Aloha spirit. Aloha is a spirit of love and thus when one is greeted with Aloha, one is told that one is loved just for being there. Aloha is what people say when ways are parted as well meaning that even though you might leave, there is still love for you. That is what makes Hawaii such a LOVELY place. (sorry about the pun but I just had to do it.)

I wrote recently about openness and I guess this just adds on to that. Let us strive to be open and welcoming even to strangers but let us start by practising with our family and friends first. If this Aloha spirit is spread around the world, the world might be a much better place to live in.