I Am From Aloha

By Randy Shiroma

I am from Hawai‘i, a Kama‘aina kid

From a loving and hard working Mom

From a single parent, her four boyss, and a dog

Tight on money, very little toys, but rich in love

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I am from the taste of Mom's soft savory pork chops

Six piles of laundry, plenty of chores and yard work to do

I am from getting lickins and being grounded for life

Where I'm from there's lots of hard work and dreaming goes on

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I enjoyed team sports, boy scouts, canoe paddling, Sandy's and Makapu‘u

I learned from teachers, coaches, and pastors I call Uncles and Aunties

Several giving and caring folks as I grew

I'm from private school and college too

From engineering, graphic design, advertising, publishing, and the Internet

I own my own business and traveled the world

I am from plenty of hard work and reaching for dreams

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Where I am from a marriage is real sweet

Twenty-seven years and two daughters who make us proud

I won't pretend that everything is rosy and fair

Life is a roller coaster called "Adventure," not "Despair"

Where ups and downs are all part of life

Mom is in Heaven now, always fresh in my heart

My oldest girl is in college and my baby is 16 going on 21

Life happens so fast, no time to waste, keep moving forward

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Make it the best every moment it won't ever come back

Always forgive others, so I live long in peace

I never say never because everything is possible

I never take anyone or anything for granted

I never gave up and keep shooting for those dreams

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Now I live a life for God and Aloha, there's no better way

I live in town now, but Nanakuli is my ‘ohana when I pray

When I grow up I hope to be a legacy, remembered by the kids I love

'Cause where I am from, it's worth giving Aloha for life and beyond

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Live Aloha! Spread Aloha!

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