There we were, just sitting under the tent waiting for our teacher to call our group up. Everyone was either a nervous wreck or they couldnʻt care less. Once it was our time to go on stage, we grabbed our instruments and our music. We set up the stage with our chairs and stands just as we rehearsed before. With a single gesture, we played our piece and started at the same time. It was only me and about five other violins playing. About halfway through the song, each of us felt more comfortable and we began to be less tense. With each stroke of our bow, another note flowed from our violins. When it was finally the end of the song, we walked off the stage heading down to the side of the tent.
After each group performed, we were anxious to get our scores back. A few minutes flew by and I finally heard my teacher say that she was going to pass back the score sheet, and she did. “We got the star!” I heard someone in the back say. I was so nervous to see our grade that the inside of my stomach felt like it kept twisting from left to right, then up and down. Once my group got called up to receive the score, the news was unbelievable (mostly because I thought it was going to be a bad score). But there it was, a high score out of twenty with a star right next to it, in one of the upper corners. I could finally just stop stressing about this performance and actually have fun with my friends. After the whole performance and everything, I learned that I should have just been less nervous for something that I probably wonʻt remember in ten years.
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From how I see life, everything is a feeling. What makes my querencia special to me is the feeling of being, “home” when I am not actually at my house. Being in a canoe during practice or races is where I can really just be myself. I donʻt have to act like anyone else or be a certain way when I am there.
During practice, itʻs easy to forget about my worries from school or home. My friends that I paddle with never fail to keep my mind off of my responsibilities. When weʻre paddling during practice, my friends and I are always making goals. The goals that we discuss are always about what we want to accomplish for the current season. We talk about our mindsets and why we paddle. This part of practice makes me grow as a person, because I learned from my friends about being committed, being dedicated, and being humble after every win. I donʻt feel like I have to impress them either because weʻre all at practice to be better. We understand that no one starts out the best. Above everything, we love what we do and thatʻs why I feel comfortable being myself around them. When I am in a canoe, itʻs easier for me to think. Itʻs easy for me to worry less about everything that I have to do when practice is done or when my race is over. I feel like being in this place brings out the better side of me all the time. Iʻm able to be easy-going, but I can still be competitive at the same time. I am able to be so determined to win during a race, but I will always make sure to tell other crews that they did good if I get the chance. Itʻs a whole other feeling when I am in a canoe. Being here naturally taught me about balance, and it always gave me clarity. It isnʻt just the people in the canoe either. What makes this a special place to me is everything we do in the canoe. I remember something my friend and I always did before every sprint and practice. Before our steersman said, “Paddles up” which really means to get our paddles ready, we would cup a handful of water in our hands and splash it over our paddles. Iʻm not sure why we always did that, but it was another factor that made my querencia special to me. When our practice runs late, we always watch the sun set together. It doesnʻt seem as special, but when Iʻm paddling with some of my favorite people in the world, with some of the prettiest colors in the sky, and somewhat calm water, itʻs like that feeling where everyone is at peace and all is set right. No matter if I am in a canoe off the shore of Nanakuli, Waimanalo, Lahaina or anywhere else, being in a cane will always be my special place. The only problem I get stressed from is not being able to transition fast enough. My only thought when I was in the canoe was to finish a sprint before other people could. The only thing that could distract me from everything else, was being in a canoe. A phrase that my family says often is, "Mahalo e Ke Akua" When translated from Hawaiian to English, this phrase means to give thanks to God. Most people in my family do not speak fluent Hawaiian, but it's important for us to know our roots, and for us to always be connected to our culture. This phrase was also introduced to my family by Church, and from older people in my family that already passed away. Mahalo Ke Akua is something we say almost everyday and it is said during different occasions, or when we pass a certain place. My grandma said that in my family, it's important to say this because, "It's an expression of gratitude. We say this because we're grateful for many different things.”
Another time we say this phrase is when we are in the car and driving on the H-3. There was a lot of history and events that happened in old Hawai'i that also took place by that highway. My grandma always says, "Mahalo Ke Akua" to honor the native Hawaiians that have passed away near the highway and she eventually taught me to say it from a younger age. To this day, itʻs important for me to say this phrase while passing the highway because I feel the need to be respectful. From a young age, it has been a vital thing for me to always respect ancestors and people that are older than me. Saying, “Mahalo Ke Akua” is also important for me to say because it shows gratitude and thanks. I think that everything that happens is in Godʻs hands and if he didn't want the highway to be built, he probably wouldn't have let it. Overall, this phrase shows great importance to me because it reminds me to show gratitude and be thankful for everything I have. Not everyone in my family says, "Mahalo Ke Akua' Sometimes my grandma and I forget to say it, but each time we do say the phrase, it is from the heart. As a kid, I never thought it was important to say, "Mahalo Ke Akua" everyday. But as I got older, I started to understand that there are blessings all around us. Being grateful for everything I already have and being grateful for everything that I receive plays a big part of who I am today. I learned that something as small as waking up every morning is something that I should be thankful for. A phrase that my family says often is, "Mahalo e Ke Akua" When translated from Hawaiian to English, this phrase means to give thanks to God. Most people in my family do not speak fluent Hawaiian, but it's important for us to know our roots, and for us to always be connected to our culture. This phrase was also introduced to my family by Church, and from older people in my family that already passed away. Mahalo Ke Akua is something we say almost everyday and it is said during different occasions, or when we pass a certain place. My grandma said that in my family, it's important to say this because, "It's an expression of gratitude. We say this because we're grateful for many different things."
Mahalo Ke Akua is used a lot during family gatherings and parties. Before we eat any food, everyone in my family gathers in a circle and then they hold hands. We hold hands because when we pray, there's more connection with each other and it's something we have all known to do since we were kids. At the end of the prayer, but before we say Amene, the person saying grace also says, "Mahalo Ke Akua" In my family, we believe that without God, there would be no food and we also wouldn't be a family so it is always important for us to show thanks. Another time we say this phrase is when we are in the car and driving on the H-3. The H-3 was built during the 90s, but it took a long time to finish. If you ask my grandma or almost anyone else in my family, they will tell you that it's because the H-3 was built on cultural sites. There was a lot of history and events that happened in old Hawai'i that also took place by that highway. For example, to build this highway, the workers also had to tear down a kapu heiau (sacred temple or site). My grandma also says that some supernatural events occurred during the construction, such as cars being able to float. My grandma always says, "Mahalo Ke Akua' to show respect to the Hawaiians that have passed away near the highway and she eventually taught me to say it from a younger age. Not everyone in my family says, "Mahalo Ke Akua' Sometimes my grandma and I forget to say it, but each time we do say the phrase, it is from the heart. As a kid, I never thought it was important to say, "Mahalo Ke Akua" everyday. But as I got older, I started to understand that there are blessings all around us. Being grateful for everything I already have and being grateful for everything that I receive plays a big part of who I am today. I learned that something as small as waking up every morning is something that I should be thankful for. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
May 2018
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