Aloha= Alo= [presence, front, face] + ha [breath]

Literally, “the presence of breath” or “the breath of life.”

During a recent trip to Hawaii, I learned that Aloha is not just a greeting but also a way of living and treating each other with love and respect. This deeper meaning starts by teaching ourselves to love our own beings first and then spread that love to others.

The breath in our bodies is a precious gift from Almighty God. As human beings, we can invent many things, but we can’t create the breath of life.  We have been given the AWEsome opportunity to be good stewards over the breath entrusted to our bodies. This air is not our own. It’s on loan to us while we’re here renting space in this world. Let’s use this gift to praise the Lord, speak life, and encourage our earth-mates. Let’s protect our God-given investment by not exposing it to the toxic people, places, and things that are destined to destroy our body and soul. And let’s make this world a better place by seeking forgiveness for the relationships we’ve polluted with our words.

Today, let’s strive to make the most of each breath we take and add value to the breath we share with one another. Aloha!