Page 2 - MidWeek - Nov 10, 2021

2 MIDWEEK NOVEMBER 10, 2021
Reclaiming A Gift From The Past
“My wish is to stay always like this, living quietly in a corner of nature.”
A Great Many Things
— Claude Monet
Iremember a time when Honolulu homes were surrounded by fruit trees and a profusion of flow- ers that could have rivaled Monet’s garden in Giverny. String beans, tomatoes and eggplants often grew in these yards as well, giving a rural feel right within the city.
“‘T
nonsensical “Jabberwocky” poem from Through the Look- ing-Glass. It provides me some pre-holiday season liber- ties to jabber both nonsensically and seriously as we travel through our local looking glass.
was brillig and the slithy toves.” I’ve always wanted to lead my column with that mystifying start to Lewis Carroll’s
visions of “my” tree.
In those long-ago days,
Three weeks ago, Hawai‘i Island firefighters roped and then hoisted a calf to safety, turning what seemed like a hopeless scenario into a happily-ever-after moment. The adept animal control division gurus calmly made sure not to cow the calf, fastened the fretting wanderer and pulled her up safely, telling passersby to relax, i.e. — don’t have a cow. The wayward calf returned to its lea, excised from an inaccessible beach location. With great help, it avoided becoming a “cache” cow ...
It was easy to feel connect-
time tending plants put us in touch with the ‘āina, and distributing nature’s bounty brought family and friends together. Our COVID-19 restrictions have given many the gift of time at home and have allowed us to again no- tice the season’s first gardenia or the juicy limes nestled in thick foliage — to reclaim from the past the precious gift of connection.
Kilohana Silve is kumu of Hālau Hula O Mānoa and president of France-Hawai‘i Association.
Chasing The Light is pro- duced by Lynne Johnson and Robin Stephens Rohr.
Following a transition, 36 states, including Hawai‘i, will require local callers to use 10 digits when making local calls, rather than the now-familiar seven numbers. That’s because on July 16, 2022, the prefix “988” will become the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Rather than someone be distraught having to remember the current 10-digit num- ber, “988” will become a simpler source for help seekers. Like “911” (emergency) and Aloha United Way’s “211” (statewide information and referral), this easier three-digit number might provide relief for those in real need. And that’s a good call ...
displayed colorful banners of
Math and language arts scores took a big hit last year in our public schools, as they did elsewhere, with distance learning the rule, and bumps along the hybrid highway. With kids (vaccinated and) back in classrooms now, hope- fully, we can move forward. But focus needs to be placed on how best to help our kids catch up and also move forward in the coming years. “Our keiki are our future” shouldn’t be anyone’s 2022 campaign slogan. We’ve heard it far too often. It’s a given. Now’s the time to prove that our kids really do matter, as they’ve fallen further behind through no fault of their own. Anyone listening?
KELLEY
ed with nature in those days.
Mother often reminded me that
my daily weeding and raking
fostered an abundant harvest,
and she taught me to read the
clouds and wind direction
for signs of rain. On sunny
Tending plants like a mango tree takes time, and reminds the author that there’s beauty in cultivating relationships.
while others boasted alligator pears or lychee. I loved cross- ing the street to Mrs. Rosa’s, carrying a bag bursting with succulent mangoes from the tree my parents had planted with my umbilical cord short- ly after my birth. Even now, the taste of mango summons
Saturdays, most other yards
drying laundry. But Mother’s
light drizzle had “only kissed the earth,” and she would send me to complete watering of the plants.
weather instinct was never de-
ceived by smiling skies, and
an hour later when neighbors
were frantically rescuing tow-
In our Mānoa Valley neighborhood, produce was proudly shared with friends all year long. Our yard was famous for Hayden mangoes,
els and shirts from the Tuahine rain, we would be happily baking cookies. Afterward, Mother would say that the
New Century Schoolbook bold (scaled H 73.6)
LIGHT
with Kilohana Silve
The next time (hopefully there won’t be one) family members aren’t able to attend UH sports events due to pandemic-related safety restrictions, a cohort offered me a tongue-in-cheek solution that just might work. Make the relatives all UH band members du jour! Give the vaccinated parents a kazoo, let ’em practice at rehearsals, and then let ’em toot, root and hoot with the already-authorized band at UH games.
Think about it...
john@thinkaboutithawaii.com