Good Living 123

On July 5^th we celebrate the heritage, achievements, and beauty of Hawai’i, the 50^th state to join the U.S. in 1959.

Built by volcanoes, at 1,523 miles long, the Hawaiian Islands archipelago is the longest island chain in the world.

The Big Island is home to 5 of Hawaii’s 6 still-active volcanoes, while Maui is home to Haleakala (meaning “House of the Sun”), the world’s largest dormant volcano. It rises 10,023 feet above the ocean’s surface but nearly 30,000 feet from the ocean floor, with a crater measuring 7½ x 2½ miles.

The Big Island’s Mauna Loa (meaning Long Mountain) is the largest active volcano on earth, making up half the island and spanning 75 miles.

Photo by Marc Szeglat

Continuing volcanic eruptions cause new islands to be created each year, with the Big Island growing by about 40 acres per year.

Erosion from ocean waves, winds, and rain whittle away at all the islands, but especially, Kauai’i, the oldest Hawaiian island, which was formed about 5 million years ago. The Big Island of Hawaii was formed a mere 600,000 years ago. Having its own time zone and the most isolated population center on earth, the Aloha State sits about 2,400 miles from the U.S. mainland and 3,850 miles from Japan. Due to constant movement of the earth’s tectonic plates, the Hawaiian Islands move west toward Japan at a rate of 6” per year.

The world’s highest sea cliffs (Kalaupapa Cliffs) are on the island of Molokai, which is also home to Hawaii’s largest waterfall (Oloupena Falls) and largest white sand beaches.

With the 8 primary islands right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire, Hawaii is also home to a fascinating cultural blend of Native, Asian, Portuguese, and American cultures. When people question how Portugal became involved, they learn that in the 1700s, the British Royal Navy brought the King of Hawaii a gift of livestock.

Not knowing how to care for cattle, the king sent for the best ranchers in the world… the Portuguese cowboys, long before the mainland’s Wild West Era began. Bringing favorite foods with them, the Portuguese sausage became so popular, that even McDonald’s had to give in to local demands.

When Breakfast at McDonald’s launched the fast-food breakfast phenomenon, Hawaiian locations broke from the traditional menu, adding Portuguese sausage and poi (made from taro) to their menu.

With a widely varied, multi-cultural array of foods offered throughout the state, the Hawaiian luau remains popular with the 6-million-plus annual visitors. At these feasts, guests are treated to the traditional story-telling hula dancing, too.

Most visitors still fly into Honolulu, the state capital. Hawaii has 4 counties, Honolulu, Maui, Kaua’i, and Hawai’i.

Visitors often learn that the sport of surfing originated with the early Polynesian people, and boogie boarding started here too, initially done on palm fronds.

Many famous movies have been filmed throughout Hawaii, from “South Pacific” in 1958 to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Avatar.” Hawaii also hosted “Hunger Games” and scenes from all the “Jurassic Park” movies.

Hawaii is the only state with a palace, once the residence of King Kamehameha. It is also the only state with two official languages, English and Hawaiian. There are 12 letters in the Hawaiian language, 5 vowels and 7 consonants.

There is no smog in Hawaii, but you might see “vog,” the volcanic ash haze caused by the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island.

To prevent cities, Kaua’i has outlawed the construction of buildings taller than a palm tree. The entire state has laws against billboards to keep scenic vistas clear.

It’s the only state that is rabies-free, much in part to laws prohibiting owning hamster and ferrets. Snake ownership is also strictly forbidden.

A visitor might catch a glimpse of the yellow-bellied sea snake, but even that is extremely rare.

Far more common are sights of the state fish… one with the longest name in the U.S., humuhumunukunukuapua’a, which means “reef trigger fish with a snout like a pig.”

Fun to see is the state marine mammal, which is the monk seal or the hoary bat, the state’s official land mammal.

Despite environmental efforts, all native bird species are endangered. With all its many fascinating species of birds and animals, the only state with a tropical rainforest has more endangered species than any other state.

Little-known facts about Hawaii include that it is one of only two states where all forms of gambling are illegal. Each island has its own official flower, but the official state flower is the yellow hibiscus.

It is the only state where you can touch cold snow and warm sand on the same day (on the Big Island). People take their shoes off before entering someone’s home.

Astronauts trained for the moon landing atop the 13,000-foot Mauna Loa due to the craggy field of glassy volcanic rock on top.

Hawaiians consume the most Spam per capita in the United States, with supermarket shelves featuring many varieties.

Due in great part to a peaceful lifestyle, Hawaii boasts the longest life expectancy in the U.S.

Aloha!

When we see an eagle in flight, we stop whatever we are doing and simply watch. Our most recognizable national symbol, eagles remain mesmerizing.

This week, National Flag Week in the USA, is a time to pause and recognize the greatness of this nation and its people. The 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies, and the 50 stars represent the 50 states. The color red stands for valor and bravery. The white stands for purity and innocence. The blue stands for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. Our flag represents all our people and all our political ideologies.

There are some who would scoff and shriek that our flag should not be celebrated. Thankfully, there are many more who understand, appreciate, and respect the dedication, hard work, and sacrifices that have built and defended our rights to live as free Americans. Despite the blatantly negative political climate and pervasively ongoing divisiveness, I am still a believer in this little American experiment in democracy.

While some Americans fear our best years are behind us, far more are unwilling to simply give up and give in to the status quo. These are the courageous. These are the patriots. These are the often-everyday heroes… those who are willing to stand up in the face of threats, lies, and social injustice to call on us all to do better… together.

Millions continue to flock here, not because we are falling, but because hope still lives here, despite our drastic imperfections. Even in our toughest times, freedom shines more brightly here than in many other nations’ best days, never mind current times of struggle. Though I hold the highest respect for those who have made the sacrifices necessary to come here legally and put in the work to become US citizens, I also understand the plight of the millions who desperately scramble to enter illegally. However, sympathizing does not mean their pathway should be hastened nor smoothed.

We are a nation fully built by wave after wave of immigrants. People hoping for a chance or an opportunity. People seeking a hand-up, not a handout. When we listen to the words of immigrants, we learn that when they earn the right to become citizens, they will proudly vote for the ideals that make us strong. Permitted to think and act freely, they will shock naysayers and defiantly vote against anything that even smacks of socialism. They will vote to reduce the powers of government and to preserve sanity in our constitutional republic, rather than fall in line with alarmists who point at patriots as democracy destroyers.

Immigrants have often escaped from nations that standardly weaponized judicial systems, canceled freedoms of expression, and rigged opportunities to feather their own nests. These are people who rightfully abhor powers that manipulate and force people into whatever convenient “boxes” the leaders choose to keep people dependent upon the very government that restricts them. These are people who believe in America and are proud to be here, even if all they have is the clothing on their backs. We are these people.

What made our nation strong were overwhelming beliefs in God, family, community, and work ethic. Neighbors helped neighbors, but we shunned government handouts like the plague. We may have had no money and often no country to which to return, but we refused to surrender our dignity, passion, and belief in positive possibilities for the next generations that will follow us.

We learn to gratefully celebrate what makes this nation the historically amazing country it is.  We rightfully cherish our citizenship and never take lightly the citizenship process nor its responsibilities. We respect others’ right to agree or disagree with our beliefs, just as our Founding Fathers did with each other, as they stood together strongly and proudly for what was right.

We believe in America. We come here to be Americans. We are proud to be Americans, even before we earn our American citizenship. We are rightfully leery of democracy destroyers who point accusatory fingers at democracy defenders. We thank our veterans, first responders, and all who have sacrificed and all who continue to sacrifice in the name of freedom and liberty. We honor our flag and all that the “Red, White and Blue” represents. May we all have a thoughtful and proud National Flag Week.