I have so many feelings today, on the wana’ao (pronounced: wah-nah-ow) or dawn of a new year. I am excited, reflective, tired (still recovering from Christmas!), and most of all, hopeful.

For many people today is Christmas Day, marking the hānau (pronounced: haah-now), or birth, of Jesus Christ. For me, today will be all about the 3 “Fs” : family, friends, and (definitely) food.

While it can be hard to find the time, I have to find someone who can lomilomi (pronounced: low-mee-low-mee)  those muscles to melt the stress of the holidays away. 

The end of the year always brings a lot of reflection. I think about how the year went (ready for this one to be over, frankly), where I could have done better. I think about what I should have done differently and how I could have been a better person. I also take a look at what I did right..and what I need to continue to do in order to grow and learn. Every year I realize how lucky I truly am and am pōmaika’i (pronounced: poh-my-ka-ee) or “blessed of good fortune”.