A recent conversation reminded me that there are many folks that go through their days and nights not looking and noticing the place we call home. Simple things like; what phase is the moon in tonight, or why don't you see the moon out tonight, or where is the sun rising from today, where is it setting tonight, or even what direction is the wind blowing.
Our kupuna were keen observers of their surroundings and knew every aspect of their environment. The numerous ways rain falls and the wind blows. The different characteristics of the ocean and all creatures and plants within it. What particular cloud formations meant and how it helped them predict weather. Not least of which was the keen understanding of the water cycle that allows all things to live.
We live on these very same islands, we see the very same sun, moon, and stars, they still are part of our lives. In these modern times we might think that these skills are old fashioned and have been replaced by scientific discoveries. But I think if we do not continue to be a part of our environment, we may make irreversable mistakes.
So, take a moment to look up at the heavens at the clouds, to watch the sun rise or set, to gaze at the ocean's many colors and movements, and to appreciate all that Hawai'i is. Then, once you have done that, teach someone else to do the very same thing.
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