The Sea

The Sea…..

Kai is one of the Hawaiian words for the ocean which is one of the places that connects with me in special ways. Born in Hawaii, the beach was a place where as a baby, even without my memory, it became a connecting place for me. As a young child I learned to swim holding my father’s hand and diving through a crashing wave learning to respect the power of the ocean as well as enjoy its capacity for joy. As I grew older it took on a more social significance as I spent hours in the water with friends and family. Further along I began to understand my role in protecting the ocean and all that lived there. Having an opportunity to scuba dive, I found a whole new world and developed a new level of understanding. And now, most profoundly, it is the home of the honu, which has become our family’s aumakua (guardian spirit) and reminder of Jacob’s presence. As the words of the song, White Sandy Beach, say, “the sounds of the ocean soothe my restless soul.”