July 29, 2006

Going Home Again

Laurel and I flew to Honolulu this morning. Laurel will stay for a week or so, and I will stay for the entire month of August. We had a sort of changing of the guard this evening, but I will still need to sit down with my brother and sister-in-law tomorrow and get all my mom's medicines, therapies, and house & garden help straight. Also trash days, doctor's appointments, and dietary restrictions.

Fortunately, the weather is not so bad - it's overcast and quite breezy, so is cooler than I anticipated. This is very good. Hot and humid, with no breeze is bad.

My brother rigged up an ethernet connection from his house to Mom's house, so I have Internet connectivity with a laptop. So, if you're reading this, feel free to comment. I don't remember whether comments are moderated. If they are, you may not be able to see your comment until I bless it.

What surprised me about coming here is how emotional I felt listening to some old Hawaiian music on Hawaiian Air Lines' entertainment channels. There's something about an Islander's relationship with the Islands that is very different from feelings for any other place. It's like the 'aina (island, generally) is personified and becomes a member of the family - or you are a member of its family - and you are coming home.

If you are thinking, "you can't go home again," you're only partly right. The roles change but the movie is the same, and the 'aina, dressed in different freeways, buildings, parking lots, and people, becomes the set for the next scene.

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