Life is an endless journey of learning. From our earliest days, it's like we're aboard a never-ending train—Pre-School, Kindergarten, Elementary School, High School, College, Grad School, Trade School. Years upon years filled with books, term papers, presentations, and long division.
As a child, I wished for the day when the long months of schooling would end. But now, as an adult, I've come to understand that learning is as vital as breathing. If you're not learning, you're not truly living.
Some of the most valuable lessons come when the books are closed, and we’re just busy living. Skinned knees, friendship trials, cooking, aging, sickness, volunteering—all diverse teachers. Some gentle, some more firm. Some harsh, some unforgettable. But the lessons and the learning continue to come, and little by little, we learn what we are meant to learn at that time. In fact, we repeat life until we learn the lesson and move on.
This reminds me of the Hawaiian saying: “A‘ohe pau ka ‘ike i ka hālau ho‘okahi" - "All knowledge is not taught in one school." We aren’t meant to know or learn everything all at once; we are meant to live, try, and experience.
The lyrics of Alanis Morissette's song echo in my mind: “You live, you learn. You love, you learn. You cry, you learn. You lose, you learn.” Every moment, every day, every breath is a school unto itself; a ripe opportunity to explore something new. A teacher. Learning is inevitable and essential -- it is beautiful, it is painful, it is helpful, it is transformative. “You bleed, you learn. You scream, you learn.”
Learning is like ALOHA—[Alo] meaning 'presence' and [Hā] meaning 'breath.' ALOHA translates to 'the presence of breath' or 'breath of life.' When life presents me with a lesson, positive or negative, I greet it with a HELLO! “ALOHA, life!!” I see you, I feel you, I am present, I am trying to learn what you’re teaching me. Thank you for this lesson.
A‘ohe pau ka ‘ike i ka hālau ho‘okahi.
Music has been one of my greatest companion teachers. Strumming a guitar or ukulele, stroking chords on a piano, singing in three-part harmony or for groups of people – it’s taught me when to add texture, when to hold back; it’s taught me how to reach and love on others, and the value of time shared. Like an orchestra, each person is a unique instrument, a unique sound. The violin teaches differently than the flute; the piano, differently than the cello. Yet, all these sounds can coexist, creating a masterpiece. There isn’t just one sound. There isn’t just one school. There isn’t just one lesson. Rather, it is ALL a lesson. It is all a school. What you learn is up to you!
A‘ohe pau ka ‘ike i ka hālau ho‘okahi.
Yoga has also been a great teacher of mine. The Yoga Community is diverse, with many schools of thought —Hatha, Yin, Kundalini, Ashtanga, Restorative, Iyengar, Bikram. I learn as a student; I learn as a teacher. Sometimes, yoga practices bring smiles; sometimes they bring tears. Sometimes a practice resonates, and sometimes it doesn’t. ALOHA, life! We learn. We learn through our efforts. We learn through our movement; we learn through the stillness; we learn through our breath. It is ALL a lesson. It is all a school. What you learn is up to you!
A‘ohe pau ka ‘ike i ka hālau ho‘okahi.
What does all of this mean? There are so many experiences to be had in this life. LIVE THEM! Aloha, life! Live to the fullest each and every day and be lovingly curious — with yourself and others. I'm heading to Hana, Maui on retreat in about a week and I intend to do just that.
Aloha often is used to say hello and goodbye, but it also means love, affection, peace, compassion, and mercy. So, as life teaches us lessons, let’s grant ourselves grace and kindness. Remember [Alo] 'presence' and [Hā] 'breath.' Stay grounded and love yourself and others through it all.
“You grieve, you learn. You choke, you learn. You laugh, you learn. You choose, you learn. You pray, you learn. You ask, you learn. You live, you learn.”
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