I like spending my Sundays reading the New York Times, sipping cofee and calling my friends across the nation. Today I just was not in the mood for it. My asthma is back. I haven't had chronic asthma since I left High School. When I moved to Syracuse, New York back in the early 80's from the Caribbean my asthma disappeared instantly. Not many allergens can survive the harsh winter. As a boy and teenager I remember all the suffering from chronic asthma. It kept me away from the outdoors and even school for many weeks during the year. Having asthma shaped my identity as a child. I was very timid. It was then when I developed my hunger for books and music. It has been a long while since then but ever since I moved to Dallas my health has gotten worse. So it was a not very pleasant Sunday. I felt very much fatigued. My harmonica playing in the form of whizing and whistling is back after so many years and my arthritis has gotten worse. I was angry and jumpy all day. The inhaler I use for the asthma worsens my "nerves". Good thing I was by myself all day, I was cranky. So I decided to attack the problem by listening to some Hawaiian songs I have in my iPod. My favorites are by the great Hui Ohana. Beautiful songs like Aloha le O wai'anae and Hula O Makee with its falsetto singers and slack guitars are a delight to the senses. Soon enough I felt the warm tropical breeze. The hammock swinging. The aroma of coconuts and pineapple. There is a feeling of ease and calmness in Hawaiian music. It's like the surf on the beach. The ebb and flow of ideas coming and going. None of those ideas in my mind stayed, yhey just floated away. I miss the ocean. I was born and raised on a tropical island in the Caribbean so it is not that difficult for me to connect with Hawaiian culture. Very soothing. Now I am seriously considering moving to a different location to be healthier.
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