• Response was not appropriate • Drawing conclusions • Family inspiring Response was not appropriate I was saddened to read about Bethany Hamilton’s tragic injury. however, hunting and killing sharks is not an appropriate response contrary to the recent southern
• Response was not appropriate
• Drawing conclusions
• Family inspiring
Response was not appropriate
I was saddened to read about Bethany Hamilton’s tragic injury. however, hunting and killing sharks is not an appropriate response contrary to the recent southern Californian’s suggestion. I was bitten by a 16′ great white shark while bodyboarding in northern California last Thanksgiving day. Following 2 weeks of hospitalization, 3 surgeries, permanent nerve damage and months of rehabilitation, I was fortunate to have a full recovery. while it was a painful experience, it was just part of life and living in a world with other beings.
My wife and I are returning to Hanalei this January. we are really looking forward to this trip as we had to cancel it last year due to my injuries. It never entered our thoughts to stay home because of Bethany’s incident. Shark bites are insignificant compared to the number of people that use the ocean on a daily basis. and anyway, haven’t we seen enough killing based solely on fear and ignorance?
Mike Casey
Santa Rosa, California
Drawing conclusions
Against the wishes of family and friends, I must ask this question. “Where are all the “ICE busts.”
We all hear every day about the administrative progress that has been made in the war against “ICE.” We read about our 30,000 addicts, and 300 of them who want to go into rehab. What about those that don’t want rehab? Those that make and distribute the drug surely aren’t going to rehab, and it doesn’t look like arresting a few girls scared them off the island either. The community can help only so much.
Labs have been reported, as have the regular hang-outs of those that pend their nights awake dealing the drug in our parks and in private homes. So how come our jails aren’t overflowing, as they do elsewhere?
Give it some thought and I’m sure you will come to the same conclusion that all the people I’ve talked to have.
R Lawrence
Kapa’a
Family inspiring
Life is an unfathomable mystery; in the grand plan of things, perplexing and tragic events can provide a lining of grace. God moves in mysterious ways and nothing exemplifies this movement more than the recent experience of Bethany Hamilton. A ranked surfer, Bethany tragically had her left arm taken from her by a tiger shark, a predator whose ancestors have roamed the oceans for millions of years.
Yet, Bethany and her family are emerging from this horrendous nightmare to reveal a great Light, extraordinary in its endurability, and beautiful in its message, namely, that nothing can darken the light of Great Souls. In ways I can barely fathom, Bethany’s experience has revealed a depth barely known to us in our everyday lives.
Yet, just by Being this experience, Bethany, and her family, have inspired the rest of us, inhabitants of this beautiful blue green planet, to live our lives with the highest integrity, compassion, and grace.
Aloha,
Richard “Diamond” Moll
Kapa’a
