Hawaiian Thought of the Week: Ahonui June 9, 2014

Ahonui: patient, enduring, long suffering; to tolerate

When we hear the word patience we tend to think of situations in which we are actually impatient; having to stand in long lines, waiting for someone to finish eating so we can all leave the table after dinner or literally sitting at a stop light for five minutes watching all the cars go in the opposite direction.

Much more than merely being patient, ahonui literally means “great breath.” If we can just pause sometimes and take a “deep breath,” we would actually have the time to take a step back and reflect upon what’s happening around us. It is a reflection of our ability to practice endurance, tolerance and acceptance in situations that we find challenging. Practicing ahonui builds character.