Marya Mann : Blog : The Love Dance | One Family Christmas Tree

The Love Dance | One Family Christmas Tree

The people and paradigms that came together this year for our Feed the Children Holiday ‘Ohana Dinner still swim in my brain like stars in a night sky.

It was the day of the longest night of the year. The glittering lights of a Christmas tree and painted silk banners billowing in the wind were part of an enchanted, wholesome dance choreographed and performed by everyone who participated.

This Love Dance reveals the essence of the Season of the Renewal of Light. The amazing outpouring of affection for the children of Hawaii and our shared future quickens something vital in us. Sometimes in life we forget who we are. We forget we’re here to give and receive love and that while on Earth we are the backbone, hands and heart of Divine Light.

We remember who we are during moments of total commitment and exuberant creativity for a greater good, leading to happy exhaustion and contentment. We remember who we are when life energy is laughing in every gift, each conversation and the succession of moments that come to us as reminders of the sacred web of life. We remember in moments of silence and solitude as much as in music and community.

That’s how it was on Saturday, with every meal served and savored, each song, each child’s moment with Santa and all the brushstrokes on banners. They brought home to me how when we forget ourselves, we actually find ourselves.

The Love Dance, an unwritten score with a beautiful set of rituals lasting a month and then intensely for five days, culminated in Saturday’s Art of Giving Ceremony and touched a timeless chord, with steps and refrains not learned but remembered. None of us quite articulated this, but it was something we seemed to instinctively understand in the days leading to Winter Solstice.

THE INVOCATION: On Wednesday, Steve, Cecily, Susan, Rick, Bud, Terry and Koakane started the dance by gathering turkeys to cook as Holy Offerings for the festivities. We held hands, called on our ancestors and set the simple intention: to share joy, serve keiki and inspire a generation to banish hunger.

HOLY OFFERINGS: Cecily, Capri and Lori (Rudolph and her sidekicks) made perfectly spiced gravy, maple carrots, organic green salad and more. Martha, Marilyn, Terry, Toni, Rick, Elisha, Dana and the Décor Team put up the Christmas tree, painted monsterra for dream-come-true table settings and organized Blessings Bags of five take-home meals for Guests.

Elisha wrote a text about her part of the community dance: “A quick activity report: I got a bag full of avocadoes, some soft, some hard. Rick will come p.m. to Emma Hall and deliver them. Terry will come and bring tablecloths sometime tomorrow. Martha will pick up the tree around noon and deliver it in the afternoon, and I will come as close to 3 pm as my day allows. Happy evening!”

WHOLY COMMUNION: Exhausted with our month-long effort, but happy, we served families, children and volunteers at the Emma Center while listening to the brilliant music of Keoki Kahumoku and his ‘Ohana and the soothing tunes and carols of the All of a Sudden Band – Devora, Solomon, Stuheart & Dana.

Money grew on trees as Mark Morphew and Lori Punko wrapped dollar bills in shiny red and purple strings, tied them on limbs of the lustrous Christmas tree and were delighted when children searched and found their treasure. Enchanted children and adults painted on silks and cotton banners with Susan and Byron Gallery and keiki whispered their dreams to Santa and attentive adults.

The all-of-a-sudden choreography continued as Randyl, John, Asolaria and others delivered take-out hot dinners to homeless communities in Kailua, Honaunau and Miloli’i, to a senior center in Kealakekua and to needy families in Kainaliu. Later, Mark wrote, “Lori and I had our hearts filled to bursting handing out meals at the pier!”

Our volunteer of the year, Toni Vaughn, took cheese slices and candy canes to serve the homeless — the “Lunch Bunch” sponsored by the Mokuaikaua Church — at Hope Services yesterday morning. Some of the canes were also given out at the breakfast XMAS party at Hope Services, sponsored by the Food Pantry. “More gifts were given to the Central Kona Union Church in Kealakekua for their XMAS Keiki party,” she said. A box of avocados went to the “Lunch Bunch” for homeless meals next week and more Blessing Baskets went to the Food Pantry to be sent out on Fridays with schoolkids for weekend nutrition throughout January.

What an amazing day it is that goes on giving! We are delivering on our promise to deliver 700 meals. Mother Mary would understand our labors this Christmas Eve, when we will take more gifts to the Ob/Gyn Unit at Kona Community Hospital, where Nurse Ruth is giving them to sibling keiki of newborns who might not otherwise see Santa’s handiwork this season. None of this would be possible without your intention, good will and generosity!

GROWTH, GRATITUDE AND RELEASE: Every year our Feed the Children endeavor gets better. The Wright Brothers didn’t fly after only one or two tries. It took experimentation over many hours and years. Yet we feel certain we’re gathering as an ‘ohana that can make positive change in the world. We cast our visions for wholesome living on the wings of this extraordinary time.

I recall that Mahatma Gandhi spearheaded a humanitarian approach to life in 1908 called Sarvodaya — enlightenment through sharing. Rooted in the philosophy of John Ruskin, the term Sarvodaya means ‘universal uplift’ or ‘progress of all’. The principles are simple: the good of the individual is contained in the good of all, we all have the same right to earn a livelihood through work – from the tiller of the soil, teacher and handicrafts-maker to the doctors, lawyer, starlet and banker. The musicians, groundkeepers, waiters, street cleaners, the adventure guides — all have a life worth living.

Based on mutual respect and dignity, the key to such enlightenment is the active practice of compassion and seeing the good in others.

NEW BALANCE AND WHOLENESS: Maybe we the givers need to give in order to learn compassion as much as we the needy deserve to be given to. Maybe more. The exchange of energy is the same, the full circle of love, the full extension of life from roots in our individual rainbow bodies to the crown of the tree of life where we remember we’re all one family with many colorful branches and enchanting primordial, cultural and cosmic leaves.

Children, here’s the score: The warm-hearted people of the world are shaking hands with you and saying, we support your bodies to grow strong, your minds to be clear and your hearts to grow wise. We have your backs. A whole community, on ‘ohana stretching from Puna to Kona to Oregon to Washington, D. C and St. Croix, have your backs. We’re all living on one island, Earth. When one is unsupported the whole is unbalanced. Without basic needs being met, the child’s insecurity leads to disharmonious patterns. With the mission to feel the heart, free the mind and feed the children, we intend a sustainable future.

When sensitivities flow toward the good, miracles do happen. One moment can change an entire life, and the effects of one instant of understanding this one truth changes everything about a child’s – and our wholistic – world: giving and receiving love works wonders in this quantum fluid world.

Look at the people who know this: Peter Van Dyke who stuck a $20 bill in the collection box with vegetables and other holiday decorations. Lorraine Kohn who handed Cecily $20 for the keiki and Elizabeth Root and Rick Hunter and so many others who donated on GoFundMe. Let’s be more like them, betting on the children, our future: a good choice.

Somebody else dropped in $4 at Amy Greenwell Garden with candles, gift wrapping paper and food. E-mails came from all over: “We support the children,” they said.

The imprint of love on our field of life is unmistakable.
Remember the concept about enlightenment coming to a community through the sharing of resources. Sarvodaya. What a world we would create if we could, yes?

Well, I think we can. And it’s a deep subject with soaring possibilities — we can all fall in and take the next leap!

There are no followers in this dance. We’re all leaders. We’re all creating the miracle of the Love Dance. The beat goes on. . . .

Mele Kalikimaka & Hau `Oli Makahiki Hou!
Marya for Feed the Children Kona

MORE PHOTOS WILL BE POSTED SOON!

MAHALO & ME KE ALOHA PUMEHANA – THANK YOU WITH OUR WARM ALOHA – TO OUR AMAZING SPONSORS, DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS: (Please forgive if I left anyone out and let me know!)

Sanctuary of Mana Kea Gardens
Christ Church Episcopal
Amy Greenwell Garden
The New Thought Center of Hawaii
Food Basket of Hawaii
Brent and All at Cal Kona Produce
Michael and All at Ke Aloha Farms
Susun Gallery Art School
Kealakekua Ranch
Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority
Maxima and Na Leo O Hawaii, Inc.
PC 911
Ma’s Kava Stop
Kaya’s
Harley Davidson
Java on the Rock and Andrea Pro
Koakane Green and Kona Coast Chiropractic
Island Naturals
Discovery Antiques
Kona Coast Wellness
Keoki Kahumoku
Randyl Rupar
Amazing Marilyn
Sandy Murphy
Elizabeth Root
Lorraine Kohn
Peter Van Dyke
Loren Wilken
Judy Lowe
Ellen Jacobs
Lynn Robinson
Alessandra Rupar Weber
Anne and John Provax
Patricia Salvo
Kristina Yates
Dolphin Essence John Float
Barbara Garcia
Bella Grace
Rachel and Andre Martin
Becca Chopra
Kathy Carr
Steve Hunter
Jim Miller
Rick Bennett
Steve & Esther Lopez
David Hickey
Lori Droll
Paul Strauss
Art Souza
Jaylin Marvin
Patricia Dunn and Robert W. Oconnell
Jo Ann Iwane
Bud Jenkins
Luanne Hopkins
Asolaria Liberalis
Miles Mulcahy
Trish Regan & Doug Hackett
Cecily Reading, Capri, Lori and Adonis
Toni Vaughn – volunteer of the year!!!!
Musicians – Devora Kalma, Solomon Choo, Stuheart, Dana Tomasino
Patron Trickster – Bosco
Patron Saint – Shannon
One Island – Marcy Montgomery and Stephen Shrader

You, our donors, volunteers and sponsors, are modern Santas, visionary peacemakers. May you live long on the Loom of Love and Prosper!

Big Beautiful Blessings!