There I was waiting for my smoothie order at a fast food restaurant (starting with the large letter “M”) on Campbell Avenue in central Tucson when I happened to pick up a free news publication lying on the counter. It was the Spring 2011 Volume 1, issue 1 of The Arizona Grillzette, published by a company in town called Arizona Grill & Hearth.

But the amazing message was not on the front page (articles about BBQ Paradise, grilling steaks and a cool beverage), but on page 2, an article entitled “Working Together in The Spirit of Aloha” (with a photo of coral stones spelling out the word “ALOHA”, on a lava bed). Now that resonated with me, a “local girl” born & raised on the Big Island, and here are well-written excerpts from that article:

“The literal meaning of aloha is “the presence of breath” or “the breath of life.” It comes from “Alo” meaning presence, front and face, and “ha” meaning breath. Aloha is a way of living and treating each other wth love and respect. Its deep meaning starts by teaching ourselves to love our own beings first and afterwards to spread the love to others.”

It goes on to say “Aloha is living in harmony. When you live with the Spirit of Aloha, you create positive feelings and thoughts, which are never gone… “Aloha” means mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return”… “Aloha
is the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence.”

Wow, the person who wrote this must be Hawaiian or from Hawaii, but there was no by-line to the article. Who was this mysterious person who wrote this message?

I found this message timely for me, as I seem to have forgotten a bit of the “aloha spirit” which I grew up with in Hawaii, especially when working with U.S. Mainlanders and living here for years in Arizona.

So this article made me reflect again on what aloha means to me, and how to keep spreading it here in the SW desert. Mahalo nui loa (thanks very much) to AZ Grill & Hearth for the uplifting, meaningful message today.

Here’s my previous blog about “practicing aloha” (click here).

The rest of the publication (8 pages) is all about grilling, barbeques, recipes (even for grilled tilapia), with ads by various local businesses.

More info contact Arizona Grill & Hearth at 520-623-0924, 2600 N. Stone Avenue 85705, www.azgrillnhearth.com.

And keep spreading that “aloha spirit.”