Today I am attending the Hawaii Nonprofit Alliance Organization annual conference. From an amazing opening keynote by Pono Shim, where we revisited the spirit of aloha and the truncation of the word Hana to mean “work” in our culture today. But in the aloha spirit, Hana is not work at all. Hana is the unbridled grace of leaving something better than you found it, Hana is each of our life callings, one of which cannot be held more or less important than any other. This is how in ancient Hawaii the most innovative and industrious society and watershed management was formed. In combination with ‘Ohana, where this special ‘o, also of ‘Oahu and mana’o, means eternal. Hana forever connecting us all. What an inspirational day. From Hawaii’s Kilauea Eruption Recovery team, “When you weave a beautiful net it holds all colors and all kinds. And when you weave a net like this it holds the spirit in a way that is rejuvenating.”

So many inspirational speakers and great connections were made here today. Looking forward to big things coming for Hawai’i in the future.

Mary Cooke, Lifetime Achievement award winner. Co-founder of Manoa heritage center. Also malama Manoa, Punahou school, national trust for historic preservation, garden club of Honolulu, and garden club of America.

Watch the keynote speakers on Olelo Hawaii online or broadcast: