Ho'okupu...

As I was walking up Punahou Street, I spotted a large beautiful blossomed specimen of Night Blooming Cereus reaching up into the Heavens. I reached up and gently pulled the cactus arm down to smell the flower. The flower and some of the cactus stem snapped off in my hands. I was horrified. One ephemeral night of bloom and I had prematurely killed the flower. I didn't know what to do. I thought about carrying her with me to the back of Manoa to let her die in my arms.

But in looking at the moon amongst the wispy clouds lighting up the back of Manoa Valley. I suddenly remembered that Queen Lili'uokalani used to make the journey from her home to Kapunahou to view the beautiful bloom of Cereus. So I put my blossom back amongst the other flowers and continued on my journey. I knew that I had to make a visit to the Queen later that night with her chosen flower.

And hour and a half later, I came back down past the wall of flowers. It took me awhile to locate my loose bloom but I finally did. It looked fully alive. I later went downtown by 'Iolani Palace and visted the Queen around midnite. I gave her the flower. It fit beautifully in her hand. I quieted my heart and listened to the night for awhile before returning home.

I hope she liked my gift...