Page 2 - MidWeek - March 23, 2022

2 MIDWEEK MARCH 23, 2022
Ambassadors Of God’s Love
“Out of the mouths of babes and infants, you have established strength.”
IChicken Feed
“You look sad!” exclaimed one of the kindergarten- ers running toward me on my way to the cafeteria. Children are uncanny barometers for adult emotions, and she had spotted my unease and upset at remembering that morning’s
f it’s still alive and moving forward by the time this editorial appears, keep an eagle eye on Senate Bill 2195. When a ball is knocked out of play in a base-
earnest whisper dissolved my concerns: “Don’t worry about your hair,” he shyly said. “It will grow back, just like my mom’s did.” The presence of children, with their boundless sensitivity to the human heart, I have learned, can soothe the soul — if we but listen to what they have to say.
Recently retired after four decades as elementary princi- pal of Hawai‘i Baptist Acade- my, Dr. Rebecca Sanchez Ovitt is author of “My Journey of Healing from Cancer.” She continues to teach at the Bible Institute of Hawai‘i and leads a support group for divorced, widowed or separated indi- viduals.
Chasing The Light is pro- duced by Robin Stephens Rohr and Lynne Johnson.
ball game, it’s called a foul ball. If this resolution comes to fruition, it will be remembered as a much-needed fowl bill. Many of us are aware of the indefatigable, independent chickens that show up everywhere nowa- days. Slowing down or veering suddenly while driving to avoid them surely puts us in a fowl mood (sorry, but the puns will persist). Frankly, I find the sudden jerks left or right when I’m driving to be a bunch of chicken shift, but the details of SB 2195 could soon assuage our angst and minimize flying feathers.
conversation with a lawyer. “Let’s sing for her,” sug- gested one of her friends. They burst into Twinkle, Twin- kle, Little Star, Ring Around the Rosie and Jesus Loves Me. Peace enfolded me as I connected with these joyous little beings and their generous
Children have the power to soothe the soul, and the author encourages everyone to listen to what they have to say.
class. I stood quietly, grateful- ly feeling my mother’s com- forting embrace.
★★★
After nearly a year of cop- ing with illness, I wondered if my hair would ever grow back. (Everyone knew I was wearing a wig.) Students, faculty and staff showered me with lei when I returned to work. I decided to visit all the classrooms that day. In a first-grade room, a boy watched closely, then mo- tioned for me to come to his desk. When I leaned over, his
Feral chickens would be fed (after EPA and DLNR ap- proval) OvoControl, which is basically birdy birth control. It’s been used to diminish Waikīkī’s prolific pigeon pop- ulation, and now could help to kinda kindly control the unpleasant pheasants. OvoControl is considered humane, as birds that consume the mutated morsels will simply produce infertile eggs. This process will take time, and SB 2195 provides for a five-year plan, so you’ll have to continue to count your chickens before they don’t hatch. And if this works? “Winner, winner, chicken thinner!” will be the cry, as introduced OvoControl scrambles eggs.
intuitive care.
★★★
When three third-graders did show up, they filled the room with laughter and lively play. Suddenly one sponta- neously broke out with, “You are like our mother here.” “Yes,” said another, “you love us, and we love you!” The third added, “I’ m sure your mom loves you.”
SB 2195 requires that annual updates be provided to the Legislature (eggs-aminations?), and hopefully we’ll view these findings as “chicken nuggets.” But that all depends on this OvoControl overture. If the chicken scratch works as well as the birth control pigeonholing did a few years back, perhaps we’ll someday look back fondly at the watershed 2022 Legislature for (hopefully) finalizing funding on big issues (an increase in minimum wages, more so-called tiny homes and public land usage for truly affordable housing, more housing allowances, et al.), while at the same time meeting grand egg-spec- tations on feral chicken reduction.
KELLEY
Think about it...
— Psalm 8:2
As principal, it had always been my practice to keep the office door open and to wel- come any child who wanted to come during recess — to
talk, to play, to read, perhaps to call home. On learning I had received a call about the passing of my mother, who had been ailing for years, the
I was taken aback once again at the instinctive know- ingness of a child’s intuition. Then the bell rang, we high- fived and they skipped off to
New Century Schoolbook bold (scaled H 73.6)
secretary asked if I still want- ed children to come that day. I nodded, determined not to let my sadness interfere.
with Dr. Rebecca Sanchez Ovitt
The planned pilot poultry prevention program would start this summer in the ‘Aiea/Pearl City area, and then spread, like the purposely tainted feed. OvoControl us- age will need to be overseen (as best as it can be) to prevent other avians from pilfering polluted pellets, but handling this problem in such a humane way could be a real shot in the arm (oops, sore subject ... literally) with fewer wayward chickens crossing our roads and coming home to roost.
john@thinkaboutithawaii.com