On Aloha in the Middle East

My Family and Friends, My beautiful courageous cousin from Hawai'i, Lia Kamana, is studying abroad in Israel right now. She has been there for the last two semesters and has continued to learn and persevere through all that she has come across, the good and the bad.

Here is a picture of my cousin in Petra, Jordan:

With the lastest reports of violence in the Middle East I want to stretch my arms out to my brave cousin, give her the warmest hug and grab her by the scruff and drag her home. But that's because I'm much older than her and I remember when she and my little sister, Leimaile, played as toddlers ... 

Truly... I am afraid for her. 

But that fear stems from the unknown. I do not know what she is going through. I do not know what it is like to live in Israel. All I can hope for is that my cousin is surrounded by good people with loving hearts who know what a special person they have amongst them. 

To Lia... You have grown into a powerful world traveling woman. Please be careful. Please keep on smiling and giving that ALOHA spirit that you so eloquently write about.

To my friends and family... PLEASE LIVE WITH ALOHA!!! Please read and please pray for those who seek violence. It is not the way. Please pray for those who have lost their lives through violence. May their families know peace. Please pray for my cousin that she may show people ... Even if it is just ONE person ... The meaning of ALOHA. 

Love you Lia. Be safe and live with Aloha.

Happy Nathaniel


Please read Below:

"Aloha in the Middle East" From the Facebook page of Lia Kamana:

"Just a thought, I normally don't do this, but I had to get it out: 

This is the first time in the duration of my 6 months in Israel that I have ever woken up and seriously said to myself “I wish I was home.” Never in my life have I witnessed so much hate directed towards others due to religion or race more than in the past 2 days. Also, never in my life have I ever feared for my own safety due to religion and race more than in the last 2 days, and in my 21 years of life I have experienced hate due to both and this has been the worst.

VIOLENCE IS NOT GOING TO STOP VIOLENCE… when are people going to realize that?! If anything productive is ever going to be accomplished, everyone, regardless of religion, regardless of race needs to act intelligently, thoughtfully, and in the way we all strive to live.

Regardless of religion, we all strive to live like how God, Yahweh, Allah, the Heavenly Father – names don’t matter – we are all striving to live like how our CREATOR would want us to live.

I don’t know about you, but the G-D I know, would not want his people to be killing one another, he would not want us killing our brothers and sisters. We are all equal in the eyes of GOD and we are all his children.

Leviticus 19:18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Mark 12:31 “Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

Romans 13:10 “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. “

Proverbs 24:17 “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth.”

I have faith in this world and the people within it. I have faith that peace can be reached. But this can only happen when people start thinking and acting with intelligence.

GOD knows all and in the end, when it comes down to it, he knows who truly lived in his way. So please, I ask of everyone to start thinking intelligently, to open your minds, open your hearts, not just to those who are similar, but also to those who are different. As we say in Hawaii, speak with ALOHA, act with ALOHA, share with ALOHA. Lets stop the violence, stop the hate, and start living in the ALOHA way. I know that we, children of GOD, can do this... and GOD knows we can do it too.

God Bless and Aloha"

-Lia Kamana

I am THANKFUL.

(2/3/2013 UPDATE #2: Here is the song my Family sung for my AUNTY.  "Ekolu Mea Nui" by Robert J. K. Nawahine.)

ʻEkolu mea nui ma ka honua
ʻO ka manaʻo ʻiʻo ka manaʻo lana
A me ke aloha ke aloha ka i ʻoi aʻe
Pômaikaʻi nâ mea âpau
Pômaikaʻi nâ mea âpau

Three important things in the world
Faith, hope
And love, love is the best
And everything is blessed
And everything is blessed

LOVE IS THE BEST!!!!

(2/1/2013 UPDATE: The obituary for Aunty can be found HERE. Thank you again to everyone for their support. Much ALOHA.)

Thank you to you, My Family, My Friends and others who have stopped by to read.

THANK YOU.

Today's Disclaimer: I apologize for another late post. I was writing on something entirely different which will be posted next Thursday as I will reserve SUNDAY for FOOTBALL and the importance of FAMILY. You will understand more as you read. This post is mostly for MY FAMILY. To my FRIENDS and GOOD PEOPLE that have stopped by... please read on.

I am not a doctor. I am not a nurse. I am not a psychologist. I am not a counselor. I am not affiliated with any sort of health industry. You are reading this blog with the full knowledge that Pilialoha K. Nathaniel is not authorized by any school, institution or government to give health and medical advise. If you follow any advise in this blog it is at your own discretion and at your own risk. Okay? Nod if you agree. If you read anything past this paragraph that means you have nodded and you agree.

For My FAMILY,

Our Aunty just passed away last night after a four month-long struggle, a fight to survive. She did not have cancer. She did not have any major health problems. She got into a minor car accident while on a routine trip to the market. If you haven't done so already, for more information go HERE for what happened to Aunty or go HERE for a journal of her struggles.

I am THANKFUL for the time I got to spend with our FAMILY in Minnesota. At the time (four months ago) I was told that the doctors had decided that nothing else could be done for our Aunty and that they would take her off of life support. I went to give whatever support I could and to take care of GRANDMA and bring her back to Hilo whenever she wanted. All life support was pulled the day before I got on the plane to go to Minnesota. I thought I would be flying into Minnesota to find my family grieving. I thought I would find my Grandmother grieving for a lost sister. My Uncle grieving for his lost wife. I thought I would have to try my best to lift my family.

INSTEAD I found my Aunty still "kicking". (Really! By the third day after they removed life support she was moving and kicking around the bed like she wanted to run a marathon.) I'm not going to "sugar-coat" this... she looked bad. She barely looked like Aunty when I first got there...AND... she got better everyday during the week I was there. By the fourth day she recognized me. I would like to think she recognized me as her Niece Pili... But I'll take any sort of recognition.

I said "Hi Aunty!"

Aunty opened her eyes and said, "Hi!" and smiled her beautiful smile.

Thank you Aunty for giving our family these last four months with you. Thank you Aunty for trying so very hard to get better. I cannot imagine the pain and confusion you must have bore. Thank you for allowing us to say "A HUI HOU".

Until we meet again, Aunty. I know you are up in Heaven with your Brother and your Mom and Dad eating sweetbread, malasadas, Minnesota hot-dish and chop suey.

I want to also thank MY GRANDMA. When I went to Minnesota I thought I would have to have to lift the cornerstone of our family. GRANDMA... you are that cornerstone and I will always be there for you. Thank you Grandma. THANK YOU for taking care of yourself. Thank you for your strength. Thank you for your honesty. Thank you for your LOVE.

Thank you for reading,

Cousin Pili

Sunset. St. Cloud Minnesota. I love you Aunty. Thank you.