Page 2 - MidWeek - Oct 12, 2022

2 MIDWEEK OCTOBER 12, 2022
Embracing Perspective
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. — William Shakespeare
“If I come in,” I gasped through the phone, “can you
ADon’t Worry, Be Happy recent WalletHub survey found Hawai‘i to be
treat me?”
“We will just send you
the happiest state in America. Now, before we
home,” the emergency room responded. “We have to re- serve treatment for people worse off than you.”
earth ... than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
all start getting snarky, let’s just be happy that we’re so happy. After all, 87% of Americans are now “anxious” or “very anxious,” according to an American Psychiatric Association poll. Hmm, wonder why?
“How can you tell I’m not in bad enough shape to treat?”
Spending time in Hawai‘i taught the author that there’s more to life than work, full schedules and a never-ending to-do list.
More than any other home I’ve known, Hawai‘i has gift- ed me beyond my limited phi- losophy — with perspective. Mahalo, Hawai‘i.
WalletHub Ph.D. experts weighed data from various sources and created a happiness formula that some might question (like West Virginians, who came in 50th place), but let’s just enjoy the happy news. But don’t party too hardy, as we rank 49th in adequate sleep rate. Geez! Or should I say Zzzzzz?
“Because you can talk.”
We’re happy, but we can’t sleep. We love our back- yard (mountains, beaches and everything in between), but we’re unsure if we can keep our kids from leaving here — forever. We’re not sure (in good conscience) that we can sell our kids on the attributes (of which there are many) when nagging concerns exist about having enough opportunity to thrive (not just survive); it’s a real worry for many here, both pre- and post-retirement. No wonder people stay up all night, working a second job or worrying about things out of their control.
It was COVID, and this “less worse” form would grip my life with pain, confusion and almost death. After full recovery eight months later, I took my first vacation in 18 years — to Hawai‘i for 10 days. I stayed for six months.
After years of marriage to work, to LA and to status quo, I had lost perspective. A defining insight came from a Hawaiian school of long, silver, needle-like fish. After observing them in their cove for an hour, I realized that they had encircled me, and they were the ones watching me. This was their world, not mine.
people, I live in the moment here, make fewer plans and avoid to-do lists — put aside cares that in LA take up pre- cious territory in my con- sciousness.
Screenwriter and speech- writer Roger Wolfson has written for major TV series, including “Law and Order: SVU” and “The Closer.” One of his episodes for the latter earned Kyra Sedgwick an Emmy nomination. He has counseled U.S. senators, written speeches for national leaders, and now divides his time between Los Angeles and Honolulu.
Chasing The Light is pro- duced by Lynne Johnson and Robin Stephens Rohr.
Speaking of control, our O‘ahu public parks have survived that recent toilet paper shortage drama. The beneficial bunwad supply wasn’t steady (welcome to 2022) and thus people were encouraged to bring their own, but it now seems that we’ve wiped this problem. Just one more reason to be happy, yeah?
New Century Schoolbook bold (scaled H 73.6)
In the TV series The Crown, Princess Margaret invites Margaret Thatcher to a relax- ing trip in the country.
In Hawai‘i, every visit with friends involves hiking, swimming, talking or medi- tating. Every glance out the window reveals a translucent blue ocean, a sunrise, a rain- bow. The land nurtures me. The people nourish me. They open me to larger vistas. In Hamlet’s words: “there are more things in heaven and
“I get no joy from leisure,” Thatcher protests. “My joy is from work.”
In Hawai‘i, I came to see there are ways to live and goals to pursue beyond what I envisioned. Thanks to the culture, the atmosphere, the
“Leisure offers something even more important than joy,” the princess counters. “Perspective.”
with Roger Wolfson
OK, time to refocus: How much longer can our isolat- ed island chain stay centered, reasonably focused, calm and thus happy, when the weight of it all gets oppressive? We manage via our unique culture(s), learned demeanor, empathy, sense of ‘ohana and aloha attributes. But that might not carry us forever if we don’t create economic and housing opportunities — major issues that are re- inforced, dissected, studied and bandied about at least every two years when someone wants to get elected.
SPEED BUMP by Dave Coverly
At a riveting Hawai‘i Island “futures” conference re- cently, one panelist discussed the necessity for Hawai‘i to stop being a “feeder” system, whereby we train young people, raise them well and then watch as they saunter off to seek a reasonable return on their investment (aka, true happiness) over their next 50 years. We need to create opportunities, innovate, take chances and provide a rationale here to ... well, to stay happy.
Think about it.
john@thinkaboutithawaii.com