More on Aloha from the kids of Hawaii

Definitions of the spirit of aloha shared by a kindergarten teacher in her chapter within Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawaii:

The question:
     What does this word - aloha - mean to you?


The answers:

One day if you swallow a rainbow then you let some drip out of your mouth when you smile, that’s what aloha is. Hana, age 6

Aloha is like when a puppy licks your face, only it’s not so sticky. Olan, age 5

Aloha is when you have to say good-bye, but you want to leave a piece of you behind because now you have to go home. Sera, age 7

Even though some people live in big fancy houses with a lot of toys, aloha makes us all the same. Rafelyn, age 6

Aloha is my favorite word because when you say it, it makes everyone smile.
Shai, age 6

Aloha is what dolphins whisper to each other and to you when they pass you under the ocean. Nikko, age 6

It should be a flavor of ice cream because it’s that good. Ivoreen, age 5

Aloha is all the good feelings like love and missing someone, but it isn’t so mushy. Nick, age 6

Aloha is when there is a room with a million strangers and then they say, “aloha,,” and then they are not strangers anymore. Mokana, age 7

Aloha was my goldfish’s name but then he died, but is like he is still alive because whenever anybody says, “aloha,” I remember him and other kids probably have things like that too. Tautalaasa, age 7

Aloha is one of the words that means everything good, which is good because everything would need a lot of words otherwise. Devin, age 7

Aloha means you treat everybody nice even if you don’t like the way they smell.
Tufaga, age 5

My tutu says aloha is the old way, the way people used to be. And also aloha is the way it is today, because it’s how the old ways are still alive if the very, very, very old people are gone. Ikaika, age 7

Aloha is the way we live. Miss Na’a, kindergarten teacher