Aloha Brings Beauty

By Virginia Beck

The late kumu hula Kaua‘i Iki with two of his students from Ni‘ihau, Kilolani Kanahele and Kapua Kelley-Kanahele, performing at Kekaha Beach.

The blessings of rains have helped eased our drought and renewed growth and greens to our parched Westside. The cooling effect of greenery is a double blessing for the microclimates surrounding every patch of green.

Friendly trade winds are favoring us with gorgeous weather. This is a favorite time to invite folks to visit. Our weather is often surprisingly good. The warmer days are calling for lighter clothing and aloha attire.

It is also the time when we say aloha to the young people going off to higher education to fulfil their dreams. My friends’ children are being carefully transplanted to universities and colleges away from Kaua‘i. It is particularly wrenching, as the airfare makes it difficult to reunite easily.

These vital young ones represent some of the best of our ‘ohana, our network of family and friends.

So many challenges to overcome, especially for young women. Women deserve the special care they need to be free enough to complete their education and planning their futures well, allows them to care for their families, with some financial freedom.

Having families and babies when they want them and preventing unwanted babies, is the essence of family peace. Encouraging women to meet the challenges of life first, and then the challenges of pregnancy and babies.

Being born on Kaua‘i is particularly special. Not many get the chance to have this special connection to the island, this planetary gem.

Lovely to see families bonding over marriages and babies. Ah, the babies. Family is the hub of life anywhere, and especially here on our tiny island. You may have noticed how many families gather at our beach parks. All those tents and coolers. The umbrellas, playpens, and piles of towels and toys. Auwe, it is quite amazing to see how rapidly they can get set up!

They have lots of practice. Shade, drinks and food, what more could anyone want? The aunties and moms are major managers. Get the stage set for fun! Such an amazing gift, the beach and the ocean!

Heaven knows how many babies are conceived during our beautiful nights of love by starlight. From joyful honeymoons in the resorts, to the simple sweetness of families camping at the beach parks. The renewing pleasure of relaxing after long hours of work.

The resulting babies are stunning. The beauty of our mixed ethnicities produces such outstandingly healthy and beautiful kids. Getting smarter every year. The newest year model kids on our street are amazing already.

It was hard enough to get my 1975 model son off to Silicon Valley, as he was definitely smarter than I was in the brave new world of IT, and probably in most of the computer world.

Virginia Beck

Now that weddings are returning to the islands, most people seem to pick the end of spring, early summer for weddings. Those who know Kaua’i well understand that the weather and traveling are a little easier at the end of summer, in early fall. It is never too early to start making plans.

As international travel resumes, there are more visitors from Asia, Japan, and Europe; and a wedding or honeymoon on Kaua‘i seems to be ultimate prize of wedding planners.

We have so many skilled musicians, dance troupes, floral experts and lei makers, as well as venues for all budgets.

The beauty of the islands lies in the hearts of her people. Let us treat each other with aloha.

Aloha makes anyone beautiful.

• Virginia Beck, NP and Certified Trager® Practitioner, offers Wellness Consultation, Trager Psychophysical Integration and teaches Malama Birth Training classes. She can be reached at 635-5618.