November 13 ~ Key Is Aloha

“Hawaiʻi has the key and that key is ALOHA.”
— Pilahi Paki

Watercolor art with the word Aloha and a rising sun, warm and welcoming The meaning of Hawaiʻi’s aloha comes from the heart and is given freely. Hawaiian poet and philosopher Pilahi Paki shared this teaching, later recognized by the Hawaiʻi State Legislature in 1986 (§5-7.5) as the “Aloha Spirit.”

Paki offered a gentle guide within the word itself, a way to live. Like the soft strum of a ukulele drifting on an evening breeze, her teaching invites us to slow down and remember what holds a community together:

A is AKAHAI — kindness, expressed with tenderness.

L is LŌKAHI — unity, expressed with harmony.

O is ʻOLUʻOLU — agreeable, expressed with pleasantness.

H is HAʻAHAʻA — humility, expressed with modesty.

A is AHONUI — patience and perseverance.

Whether visitor or kamaʻāina (resident), the beauty of the Islands invites goodness and wisdom. Aloha is a recognition of life in another — a felt sense of shared spirit.

The magic of aloha is wonderfully contagious. Each day, choose to Live Aloha: help anonymously, forgive hurts, keep your agreements, share freely, slow down, and listen.

Listen… understand… and live aloha.

🌺 Pilahi Paki carried compassion and believed aloha was not merely a greeting, but a spiritual practice. Through her words, the Aloha Spirit became not just a law, but a living heartbeat.

Honor each other with aloha, today and always.