The Couple Who Inspired "Hale Pama" (from my Escape Series)
I was inspired to share a story behind the creation of my "Escape Series" paintings. It's called "Hale Pama." In Hawaiian, this means, "The house of palms." Let me start though with a quote from one of my favorite older movies, "Phenomenon" starring John Travolta. It’s a beautiful movie that I so dearly relate to and also connects to this story. There’s so much of George Malley in me. There is a line spoken that was taken from a wonderful poem called "Everything is on its Way Somewhere" by Lois and Clark. The line spoken was something like this:"Everything is on its way somewhere. The apple you take a bite of when you were young, the kiss you gave to someone you loved, the hug you felt from your mother or father. These are those things that I am speaking of. You take them with you even in this moment. Let’s say you put an apple down after you take a bite from it. It will spoil in a few moments, sometimes much later. Now, that bite that you swallowed may seem to dissolve, but it GIVES you life. It goes inside you to your core for you to taste and experience and it becomes PART of YOU. Everything is on its way somewhere…"
I met a married couple one day during a gallery show I had in Maui years ago. They, like others, shared a story of their own idea of a perfect "Escape" in the Island magic. They went on to say that they had been married for over 30 years and they honeymooned in Hawaii. They smiled at each other and reminisced. They remarked on how it had all changed so much, but the one thing that had not, that they recalled so vividly, was the sound of the trade winds as they rustle and dance through the tall palm trees. They said they would just listen and let the sway of the trees cradle them both into a trance...like a magic spell that was all a gentle song written for them alone. They dreamed of one day returning to Hawaii, in years to come, and building a tree house in the swaying Palm trees. For now, they were just doing their best to keep up with life's demands, like many of us. But, they vowed that they would "get there" some day...
As it would be, I was entranced by the purity of what these two spoke of. I related, because I too often find great peace in watching the trees sway and listening to the soft whispers of wisdom spoken in the breezes. All this caused me to reflect on that quote above. What this couple was speaking of was something even larger than their own personal love, really. They spoke of being part of the motion, the sounds and the beautiful spirit and music it played through the elements of nature. They didn't talk of owning or buying or taking...just their dream of being PART of the elements that made them feel alive!
So, I did my best to recall how this couple described their little hide away. I recalled that they both loved to watch the sea and wander among the tide pools. They were both fascinated by ancient Hawaiian hieroglyphics. The guy had a little stone pendant with a sea turtle on it. They were very bright and soulful people. You could see their deep love for each other as it radiated around them...and I mean this. You could see it. So I drew and painted and dreamed, channeling all that I could about this couple's dream. After a few weeks, I finished this painting and called it "Hale Pama."
I am not sure where the couple was from exactly, or have heard or seen them since. They were focused on their journey together. But I choose to believe that they just may have already created their hideaway by now, and at this very moment, are gazing together into the Hawaiian sunset, their tree house gently vibrating chords in the same frequency. All in perfect musical key with the symphony of the trade winds and coco palms as instruments. This couple, like us all, and every amazing aspect of this enchanting world are on a journey. After all...Everything IS on its way to somewhere~~~
Warmest Aloha my friends, THOR