I'm going to do a more controversial post again (brewing on another hot topic right now), but I thought a change of pace might be nice. We writers try to do that in our work, mix the sour with the sweet, follow action with consolidation. We don't want to exhaust our readers!

I posted awhile ago about our third dog, a neglected stray we adopted we named Pono. Pono is a Hawaiian word that doesn't translate exactly but means “righteous” “do the right thing” or “balance.”

Here we are. Our relationship was meant to be, our hair color is the same!

He's my writing buddy, sits on my lap for hours.

Pono is Lei's partner and sidekick in my novels, a tall muscular Hawaiian man with an even temper, a big lifted purple truck, two babies at home and true Aloha for all the people in his community. I've come to embrace and incorporate the idea of ‘Pono' in my life, and am so glad for all of you who chimed in on the blog. I'm grateful to have so many thoughtful, reasoned and articulate friends who would take the time to respond with research and passion.

Here's a fuller definition of Pono from the Hawaiian Dictionary:

pono 1. nvs. Goodness, uprightness, morality, moral qualities, correct or proper procedure, excellence, well-being, prosperity, welfare, benefit, behalf, equity, sake, true condition or nature, duty; moral, fitting, proper, righteous, right, upright, just, virtuous, fair, beneficial, successful, in perfect order, accurate, correct, eased, relieved; should, ought, must, necessary. Pono ʻole, unjust, unrighteous, dishonest, unprincipled, unfair, wrong. No kou pono, in your behalf. Ka pono o ka lehulehu, public welfare. Nā pono lāhui kānaka, human rights. Nā pono o nā wāhine, women's rights. Ka pono kahiko, the old morality or moral system. Pono i ke kānāwai, legal, legality. Pono ʻole ka manaʻo, disturbed, worried, upset. Me ka pono, respectfully [complimentary close in letters]. Nā mea e maopopo ai kona pono, proofs in his own favor, his defense. Kōkua no ka pono o ka lehulehu, help for the public welfare. Ka noʻonoʻo e pono ai kēia hana, the study necessary for this work. Loaʻa ka pono i ka lāhui mamuli o ke ahonui o ka ʻelele, the people were benefited by the patience of the delegate. E pono iāʻoe ke hele, you should go. Pono ʻo ʻoe ke hele, you should be the one to go. Pono i ke keiki e hele, the child ought to go. Ke ui mai nei ʻoe, ʻaʻohe aʻu pono, when you turn to me, I have no rights. E ʻeha nō a e pono, no ka pinana nō i ke kumulāʻau, serves you right to be hurt, since you climbed the tree. Aia ka pono, ʻo ka pae aku, what is necessary is to reach shore. Pono e pili paʻa loa, inalienable rights. hoʻo.pono Righteous, respectable, correct, upright; to behave correctly. Hoʻopono ʻole, unjust, dishonest.

Yeah. Did  I mention it didn't translate well into English?

I took this picture out at Pauwela Lighthouse, the main crime scene of my third novel, Black Jasmine. Interesting juxtaposition as at least 2 people have been killed there in real life.

What is pono in your life?