War...

I am watching Inside Combat Rescue on National Geographic Television about frontline combat medics in Afghanistan. Pretty intense. Horrific injuries. Children too. Burnt and incinerated. I just saw them working on an American soldier who lost his foot and arm for a 1/2 hour, even cutting open his chest to hand massage his heart. It looked promising but he didn't make it. They had to notify his parents back home.

This reminded me about walking back to work after the President Grover Cleveland/Queen Lili'uokalani Celebration of World Peace we held recently. I ran into a man who was a teacher. He stopped me and we talked briefly as we had never met before. He was a Vietnam Veteran and we talked about all the horrors of war including the American Civil War where between 620,000 to 700,000 people died right on American soil.

We talked about the tremendous loss of Vietnamese people which leaves their country still struggling until this very day. We understand the choices given in life for war or peace. Like the black pohaku and white pohaku wrapped in paʻūpaʻū tapa given to Keawemauhili by Kamehameha. The choice is always yours. Death or Life.

On another note, I received an email today from a Hawaiian woman who promoted peace and healing through her lineage and advocacy of protecting sacred Native Hawaiian sites for our future children. To not repeat the mistakes and horrors of our past. To remember the profound sacrifices on all levels. I was surprised because she has been dead for about five years. I guess her email was hacked because it just had a link in it. I didn't want to click the link and infect my computer. At least I hope it wasn't truly a message from her. I once did receive a message through my computer from the Spirit World. It left me sobbing uncontrollably.  Hōʻailona come in many forms...