Page 2 - MidWeek - April 14, 2021

2 MIDWEEK APRIL 14, 2021
Finding Hope In A Bag Of Produce
“To come out of darkness we must open our eyes to the light.”
— The Rev. Dr. Seigen Yamaoka
CHASING THE LIGHT
with the Rev. Blayne Higa
TWords And Nerds
When we began this year, I don’t think anyone imag- ined how challenging and life-changing things would become. The ongoing pan- demic, along with the civil and political unrest we are facing as a nation, has cer- tainly tested our resilience. This darkness in the world often seems overwhelming, and we have been desperately searching for some glimmer of hope.
his might be the thinking person’s editorial ... or not. The CDC, which now stands for COVID: Daily Changes, says it’s safe for students to sit just 3 feet
a little ashamed of being so consumed by my darkness. My heart was opened by his kindness and my eyes were now able to perceive the light illuminating my world.
apart, as long as they wear masks. Thus, the biggest gift for befuddled schoolchildren this year might be a yardstick — for measuring purposes only, of course. When kids choose to socialize, they must now stay only a yard from one an- other. But if adults are talking to one another, the cone of vigilance remains 6 feet. And if an adult is chatting with three kids and two adults, it’s — wait, I never was very good at math. Bottom line, the coronavirus variant strains are still creeping into our daily vernacular, so stay apart, wash up and avoid partying big time for a while longer. Just keep up the vigilance for a few more months. And smile ...
There have been many days where I simply could not see the light despite the sun shining all around me. The daily struggle of putting one foot in front of the other trying to manage the chaos of life has narrowed my vision and dimmed my perception. However, there are moments of human kindness that
Simple acts of kindness, like leaving fresh fruit for a neighbor, can bring light into that person’s life. PHOTOS COURTESY THE REV. BLAYNE HIGA
the office, I returned home to find a bag of fruits and vegetables on the wall next to my garage. There was no note but I knew exactly who had left it. From time to time, this temple member gener- ously shares the bounty from his farm. He never stops to chat but quietly drives by and leaves a bag for me. I nev-
KELLEY
In our daily lives, we of- ten fail to recognize these moments of awakening. However, these simple acts of kindness remind us there is a light in the darkness and there is always hope for transformation and change. We simply need to open our eyes to see it.
I read a story recently where the writer referred to his mom and dad as his “aging parents.” I’ve always sensed this is the only kind of parents one can have. The alterna- tive is obviously not very attractive, and I’ve yet to hear of anyone’s parents getting younger, so perhaps we can stop reminding parents that they are aging with an overused ad- jective. After all, you rarely read about “aging babies,” but they are all aging, aren’t they? Ageism lives on right as the cancel culture overstays its welcome, or at least overextends its boundaries.
pierce through the darkness, revealing the light that is ev- er-present in our world.
er manage to catch him but have seen him drive away a few times. I am always grate- ful for his generosity, and it reminds me of how my life is sustained by the kindness of others.
The Rev. Blayne Higa is the minister of the Kona Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, a Shin Buddhist Sangha, in Kealakeku.
Chasing The Light is pro- duced by Robin Stephens Rohr and Lynne Johnson.
Here are some avoidable, everyday verbal redundancies (tautologies) we can probably live without (yes, save your words for you might only have so many of them to use during your lifetime): past history, new innovations, two twins, advance warning, ATM machine, ask a question, cameo appearance, close proximity and completely sur- rounded. Whew!
A few months ago, after a particularly rough day at
New Century Schoolbook bold (scaled H 73.6)
On this occasion, his sim- ple gift brought a big smile to my face as the tension of the day melted away. I also felt
And by the way, for the true non-linguists in our midst, the word is “jewelry,” pronounced “jool-ree”, and not “jewl- ery.” Also, it’s “real-tor,” not “real-ah-ter.” “February” has become accepted verbally as “Feb-YOU-ary” and pronun- ciation misuse runs rampant. And really, should politicians be allowed to vote on stuff they can’t correctly pronounce, like when pontificating about “noo-cue-lar” weapons? It’s “nuclear,” Einstein.
Finally, let’s embrace those ever-present oxymorons in our lives, like act naturally, growing smaller, jumbo shrimp, random order, original copy, and, of course, uncontested divorce. (Really? Someone’s upset!) Lose vocabulary va- garies and save words for later in your life, like when you become an aging parent.
Think about it ...
john@thinkaboutithawaii.com