Living the value of ‘Ohana in a disaster

As I sit and write this, we have “battened down the hatches” finding that the Big Island of Hawai‘i, where I live, will get the brunt of Hurricane Flossie (thankfully now downgraded to a category two storm) should Mother Nature decide we need to pay her more respect. We have tied down what we could and have stocked our hurricane kits in preparation; now we just sit and wait to see what will happen.

This sitting is not a luxury I had for most of my working life, and I keep thinking of the scores of people, including my husband still, who work in our island’s hospitality industry, for what I can most vividly remember about all the different hurricanes I have experienced while in the hotel business, is the scrambling we did for our guests each and every time; nothing becomes more important than safety precautions taken for human life. Nothing.

It is very fitting that ‘ohana is our value of the month, for when disasters hit, every human being becomes ‘ohana in its basic definition of someone you pull into your circle of aloha. Profits, business plans, operational efficiencies, sales and market capture, missions and visions all take a back seat —as they should. What trumps everything else are the values which make us human. Everyone becomes family; it doesn’t matter if you speak the same tongue or think in the same way, or if you have ever known of each other before, for you do now.

This is my memory and today’s reflection;

Whether hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunami’s or camaraderie in the shared shock of an event like 9/11, whenever there was a disaster in any business I have worked for or been associated with, ‘Ohana became the value that I discovered resonated with people at a very elemental level. I become proud of being associated with the world of business at these times; for overwhelmingly business owners will step up to the plate and marshal every resource they have available to them so they may be good hosts to their guests, good employers to their staff, good partners to their associates and competitors, good neighbors for their communities, and great people of integrity and aloha.

‘Ohana. Let’s take it apart.

HA: the divine breath of one’s life

HANA: the work we devote our energies to, and breathe our ha into

‘O: the ‘part of the possessives which mark a subject,’ in this case, our collective breath of life, given freely to each other, in the in-spirit work of a human circle of aloha

ALOHA:

ALO: for our outside demeanor

HA: for our breath,

ALOHA: so we may live from the inside out with authenticity

Remember our three primary colors for splendid mixology? Ha: RED for the passion of life’s expression within us, Hana: BLUE for the endless possibility of the sky, in the work we can share and live, ‘O: YELLOW for sunny brightness of optimism that colors our human possibility. How wonderful that this is what we can think of when a storm threatens. It helps us know everything will be fine.

An Update: Hurricane Flossie remained a strong category two hurricane until she came within about 150 miles of the Big Island; then our trade winds nudged her further south where she quickly dissipated in colder ocean waters. Mahalo to those of you who have written with concerns: we are fine!

This month, we learn about ‘Ohana: ‘Ohana, Community, and The ‘Ohana in Business

Comments

[Becky Carroll]

Rosa, I agree that everyone is family when there is a crisis. People pull together and protect each other in a way which is different from how they usually operate. I was in New Orleans for a conference when Hurricane Andrew came through (many years ago), and although I didn't know a lot of the other conference attendees, we drew together and weathered the storm.

Thank you for highlighting this important value. I am glad to hear your island will be spared much of the storm as it has been downgraded!

[Rosa Say]

Aloha Becky, thank you for adding the learning of your own experience. Isn't it something how these memories of human connection can stay with us for such a long time?

[Joanna Young]

It is so like you to focus on the positives Rosa, and what we can learn from a situation.

I'm glad that the hurricane has been downgraded and hope the threat has now passed.

Thinking of you, your family, wider community and island home :-)

Joanna

[Steve Sherlock]

I am glad you and your family are hunkered down and well. I hope all goes well for the whole island.

[Rosa Say]

Mahalo Joanna and Steve, all is well! Now that there is no threat, most of what you hear is "I wish we'd gotten more rain before she turned away!" for it has been such a dry summer. However our hurricane season has just begun, and I'm sure everyone will be glad for the practice we got in preparing for such things. I for one am always grateful that I seem to be close to home when these weather rumblings strike, and not traveling as I so often do!

[Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D.]

Rosa - thanks for sharing such a positive and powerful perspective! You are so right... people do come together during a crisis and it is beautiful. I am glad that you are helping people see the value in working together in harmony all the time.

Glad to know the hurricane did not hit your island! :)

[Rosa Say]

Aloha Kirsten, mahalo for being here! Your mention of "the value in working together in harmony all the time" reminds me of the affirmation you had on your site yesterday - I really liked it. You offered, "I honor myself by communicating my needs to others." Very powerful advice.

Dear readers, do visit Kirsten at her Think Positive! Blog for more of her affirmations, at http://ipopin.typepad.com/think_positive/