Everyone likes to read stories that leave them feeling better, wiser, and inspired.
“Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawaii: Stories of Aloha to Create Paradise Wherever You Are” is a book with many stories that do just that.
This 2003 book includes short stories from Robert Cazimero, Roy Yamaguchi, Don Ho, Bo Derek, Kenny Loggins and many other talented writers. Each shares tales of magical, wonderful, unforgettable moments in Hawaii.
Let’s turn to “Daring to Dance” by Cazimero. He writes of his kuma hula, Auntie Ma‘iki Aiu Lake, and the influence she had on him as he learned the art of hula and he learned how to prepare for and accept the death of a loved one.
He wrote: “Let me leave you with this. Nothing happens by accident. I was meant to be in that class that day in high school. I was meant to play that song. I was meant to be taught by Ma‘iki Aiu Lake. In gratitude, I share this truth:
“Hula is the art of Hawaiian dance, which expresses all we see, smell, taste, touch, feel and experience. It is joy, sorrow, courage and fear. It is death. Finally, hula is life in all aspects, and I have been made better for it, by daring to dance.”
That’s just one of about 75 stories that fall under different categories like “Living Your Dream,” “Turning Points,” “Talking Story,” “On Aloha,” “My Hawaii,” and “Island Wisdom.”
The titles of the stories give you a good idea of what they’re about: “Pele’s Curse,” “The Sandcastle,” and “The Ambassador of Hana.” Others, with titles like, “Betting It All,” “Hawaiian Heart,” and “A Bite of Donut,” keep you wondering and reading.
Some stories are short, perhaps a 100 words or so. Others are 400 to 500 words. All carry messages that just as the name of the book says, come from the soul. Some of Hawaii’s elders share their insights. Others tell of how Hawaii changed their lives for the better. Some recount tales that sound like they couldn’t be true, but are.
These are terrific for when you don’t have a lot of time to sit and read a book, but do have time for shorter stories with solid lessons about life that will make you glad you live in Hawaii. This is a good one when you want to sit at the beach and read.
A message on the back cover from authors Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Sharon Linnea and Robin Stephens Rohr says it best when it invites us to “feel the magic and warmth of Hawaii wherever you are.”
“Hawaii beckons to people the world over, yet her call to each of us is unique. For some, it is in exploring the mystical beauty of the Na Pali Coast; for others, surfing the waves of Banzai Pipeline or soaking up the sun on Waikiki Beach. While Hawaii’s natural beauty is breathtaking, her true splendor is in her people. After reading this book, you’ll understand why.”
“Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawaii” is another one that should be required reading for anyone who visits or lives in Hawaii. It gives you a sense of place and people you won’t find elsewhere.
•••
Bill Buley, editor-in-chief, can be reached at 245-0457 or bbuley@thegardenisland.com.
