Hāwane Rios Instagram – l o n o i k a m a k a h i k i a time of reflection a time to sit with storms within & without a time to listen with all senses a time to release with purpose not just intention a time to honor myself a time to know that reverence is synonymous with gratitude and not gratitude in the way the bible says but in the way the land knows in the way the sky responds to chant and song in the way the waves crash harder and louder when they know they are being acknowledged for their power in the way the body responds to love that is safe in the way people who do really love you, listen to you in the way people who do not want to hurt you, heal themselves in the way people actually do what they say there is a reverence in these acts that are rooted in gratitude the kind that makes you feel alive the kind that makes you feel safe enough to really live this christmas is different for me for you for us but mostly for the people of the world who are suffering who are mourning the mass loss of life and land who are injured who are dying under rubble and stone and because i know that more that one thing can be true at the very same time i pule i allow myself to take in the joy of our children opening their gifts beneath our beautiful tree i allow myself to make memories with my family & i allow myself to mourn and cry for all those who were stolen of their happiness and their families and their homes on this day and every day i don’t post my personal life on here anymore meaning i don’t post about my family i don’t show the faces of our children not after what happened a couple months ago when our sons face showed up on this hateful persons page who used an image our precious boy when he was younger to try and hurt me and my wife and what hurt even more is people i knew reposted it and one even had the audacity to defend that behavior to me so now, no one sees my every day life on this platform no one sees the ones who bring me the most joy because this space isn’t safe enough for that maybe one day i will but not today i keep those pictures and videos close and beloved to my heart and wish for peace for all and to all a good night