Hawaiian Phrase of the Week: E kala mai ia'u

Forgiving someone for an act that may have offended or wronged you can sometimes be very hard to do. Holding on to the negativity you have towards someone can be stressful but it is much easier to hold on to that animosity than to be able to truly forgive someone. 

Just as hard is saying ‘e kala mai ia’u’ (pronounced: eh kah-lah my-ee ee-ah’oo) or I’m sorry and really meaning it. I’m sorry has become interchangeable with “excuse me” or “I don’t understand” and in a way, its meaning has become watered down. But to really show your remorse when you say ‘e kala mai ia’u’ means digging deep for that feeling of regret for what you said or did. 

When was the last time you said e kala mai ia’u to someone and really meant it?

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