Hawaiian Word of the Week: la'i

Our lives are busy. Living in Silicon Valley, I feel like I’m constantly moving, constantly on a schedule. Feeling frantic seems to be my norm. I’m always looking for a way to get that sense of tranquility, or la’i (pronounced lah-ee) each day. 

When I look for la’i, I desperately try to find it in my day-to-day activities such as going for a short walk at lunchtime, or just sitting in my backyard on the weekend, where the hustle and bustle sounds of city life are less than on a weekday. But it is always short lived as the responsibilities are right there to smack me in the face. La’i becomes almost an intentional pursuit, a constant decision to seek moments of stillness. In Hawaii, I feel like la’i hugs me…the gentle trade winds, the rhythm of the ocean waves, the sounds of the tropical birds, and the smell of the flowers instantly drops my shoulders from my ears back to where they actually should be. I’ve learned that part of my adoration of Hawaii is that there isn’t so much an absence of the hustle and bustle of daily life when I am there, but almost as if la’i is a harmonious dance between nature and my soul. 

What makes you feel la’i?

Our ohana on Maui still needs us. Please consider donating to help the relief efforts on Maui.

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