Hawaiian Supermom

I was reading something I wrote recently and noticed that I use the word, ‘love’ a lot. I use it to talk about events, about music, about food, about art, about writing, about a moment, about animals, about nature, about the weather, and yes, I use it to talk about people. I say, ‘I love her’ when I see someone who makes me feel happy inside, ‘I love that’ when something I’m super duper fond of comes my way, ‘I’d love to,’ when given the chance to do something really wow, and yes, I’m even guilty of saying it when I think something is so not loveable. For example: “Mmm. I love worms. Thanks for feeding them to me.”

Reading the amount of ‘love’ I put into my work made me think. Do I say the word too much? Do I really have to say love?

And the only answer I could come up with is, yes. Because that’s the Hawaiian in me.

I do believe that love is a word that can freely be said; that it’s not just reserved for Hallmark situations and special people. It’s a word that expresses how we feel about someone or something– a word that describes something that makes us feel wonderful inside. A word linked to happiness and harmony and bliss.

Someone once told me that we shouldn’t say the word unless we meant it. That it wasn’t a word that should be so commonplace because the more it’s used, the less it means. But I don’t think that’s true. I think words have power and the more we use a word the stronger it gets.

I guess that’s why I wanted this hat so bad:

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. Us Hawaiians are always throwing around the word ALOHA, and I’m sure you’ve heard that the word means hello, goodbye, love, and probably a million other stupid things that people have made up to be ‘funny’ but the word also describes a feeling. The feeling of goodness, of respect, of gladness, of admiration, of harmony and bliss.

Translated into English from ‘Olelo Hawai’i, Aloha kekahi i kekahi means love one another. Give love, get love, get love, give it back. Yes, again with the love. I’m not going to lie and pretend like I’m this lovey dovey hipster person who smiles at trees and shit because I’m not. And I’m not saying I love everyone because I don’t. I am selective about who or what I say love to and who or what I say love about. But if I love someone or something, I truly do mean it.