Since our return from Shangri-La in April, we have had the pleasure to get to know a number of beautiful people who have passed through our Hawaii home. Not only are our gardens and grounds looking better and better with the help of a lot of loving hands, but we’ve also made a whole new collection of friends!
Here are a few of the highlights from our recent guestbook entries:
Since I’ve been here, I feel like I can relax, enjoy, have fun and be me more. Thank you for your kindness, acceptance, and sincerely caring for my well-being! I have found you all through a desire inside my heart to work with vegan people who are mindful, kind and loving. Thank you so much for all the love and support. I love being here and hope to come back, learn more, and live with my Vegan Family for another phase.
Rachel, April 13th
You are true stewards of the land, superheroes to all living things, and my newest family of friends. I had no idea how holistic of an experience this would be, and now I embark on this journey feeling less afraid, with a bigger, lighter heart, and a smile my whole body feels. Thank you for sharing your home, your vegan experiences, your heavenly food, your rainboots, and your love during my stay. I will keep my time at Gentle World close to my heart and all the magical beauty and truth I have had the pleasure of knowing on the Big Island. I leave feeling more connected to all worlds than ever before.
Marissa, May 5th
Well, what can I say? The time went by so fast. Thank you for giving me a home, and for making me feel welcome and comfortable. Thank you for sharing with me your knowledge, skills, resources, and love. Thank you for caring about people and animals and the earth. It’s a gift to be surrounded by so many GOOD people. It’s so comforting to know that there are other people who think and feel as I do. Thank you for being such good role models. I, for sure, will be upping my game and ascending the next (and the next and the next!) rung of the ladder. I can’t wait to put my new water-saving skills into practice (it’s so easy!). Knowing there are other people making such an effort to live consciously will certainly make it easier for me to be strong, live my truths, and show others. I felt at home here and that’s a very big deal to me. I can’t wait for our paths to cross again. Mahalo! Aloha!
Dove, May 11th
This was the most happy and healthy experience I could have imagined. What a Gentle World indeed. I learned all sorts of things, and enjoyed plenty of delicious meals, all of them filling and healthy. I learned a lot about health and cooking and taste. I learned the truth about animals and the industry, about the ignorance of many, including myself. I’ve been vegan since April 28th and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. The food was incredible. Hummus, squash soup, tofu omelet, different salads, exquisite dressings, cole slaw, seitan, avocados, papayas, oatmeal with raisins, sautéed collards, coconut ice cream, Sky’s green wraps with miso, tahini, potatoes, pasta, home-baked bread, and more. I was even blessed this morning with a ‘banini‘.
It was a pleasure meeting every single one of you. Thank you for accepting me for who I am and letting me get to know you. Thank you for being beautiful human beings. Thank you for blessing the air that we breathe and for protecting the innocent. Thank you for all the knowledge and love you have passed on to me. Many memories were made and I could write a book about my thoughts and experiences with everyone. I enjoyed them all with every one of you. I will be keeping in touch, and I look forward to meeting again. I will keep you all in my sincerest thoughts.
Victory, May 13th
This has really been a wonderful experience!!! All my friends here are awesome, helpful, and great. You have built a gentle place in this violent world. Here there is a gentle dog, friendly people, and beautiful scenery. I learned a lot in the past week, and I think I was destined to come here, and to be educated here. I’m so GLAD that I chose (and was chosen) to be here. It’s hard to say good bye, but I really want to say thank you and see you later! Yes, see you later. I think I will come back to visit you again, whether in New Zealand or America. Thank you Gentle World!!!!
Ying, 19th May
I’m so glad we found you guys. I never thought I would meet a group of people as amazing as you in my life. It’s funny because we’re so similar, and yet I feel like I learned so much at the same time. It’s hard to imagine leaving Gentle World and finding the same amount of ‘enlightenment’ anywhere else. This experience has really validated my feelings about living a natural, vegan, open life. Just knowing that you exist is a wonderful feeling. You all have had such a great influence on me. Gentle World really is a unique and magical place.
I wish I could sum up all the things I’ve learned from you on just one page. Conserving resources, making great vegan food, starting a garden from the first step of creating the beds… But it’s more of a general impression that I’m taking with me, and it has changed my life forever. I know we will see each other again. Thank you for sharing your beautiful lifestyle with us.
Kevin and Paris, May 21st
Thank you so much for having me here!! You all really inspired me and I feel that this one week I spent in Gentle World has been life changing. I will keep being vegan in Japan!! Again, thank you so much. I love you all!!!
Yuzuru, May 31st