• Summer Solstice • Rude airport guard • A Visitor from the Mainland Summer Solstice This precious longest day of all the year … For the Earth, this is a holiday indeed, one of the two most important of all
• Summer Solstice
• Rude airport guard
• A Visitor from the Mainland
Summer Solstice
This precious longest day of all the year …
For the Earth, this is a holiday indeed, one of the two most important of all the days, for this is the time of the turning seasons.
For all of us dwelling upon this earth, this is a day to rememberhow remarkably this earth supports our lives.
Few places could we live, if indeed at all, were there no changes of season, no turning of the earth which brings the sun nearer and then again farther.
Only heat or cold will not support the plants and animals, which in turn support humanity.
For all of us, this is a day to remember how we dwell not alone here, but surrounded by a multitude of beings, all a part of the bigger picture.
We dwell also embraced by elements that are the basis for life; wind and fire, water and earth.
This is a day to honor them, for without them all, we would not be,
This is a day to give thanks to the creator for such an amazingly wonderful world. This is a day to celebrate, to go out and play with nature, to walk among trees and greet them, and take the time to listen, in case should they choose to reply. It is a day to sing with the birds, and smell the flowers, and feel the touch of wind and sun on your skin.
Oh, I know you are busy …
But surely you can spare an hour at least, on this most special Solstice day, to acknowledge that which enables all the rest of your life.
It is for your sake, more than theirs that I urge you to make this connection. And when you have done so, you will know what I mean.
Maile Janai
Waimea
Rude airport guard
We have just returned to Kaua‘i for the fifth straight year since falling in love with this island and her people.
However, our arrival at the Lihu‘e Airport probably was the rudest vacation experience we have ever encountered. A security guard at the airport was not only rude, but his attitude toward my family (including our son and my wife’s parents) was abusive and, in the end, shocking.
The issue over which the conflict arose is irrelevant, but the guard’s behavior was appalling. His last words to us when I told him that we had never been treated so rudely when vacationing here was “Then don’t come back!” We could not believe our ears!
For an island where the struggling economy is tourist-based to be represented by such an ugly example of Hawaiian hospitality should be alarming to all on Kaua‘i where the island’s life blood is tourism.
The response of the guard’s supervisor was less than satisfactory: “It will be handled.” There was no apology, no indication that the guard’s behavior was unacceptable and would not be tolerated, but rather only a gruff response. Everyone has a “bad day,” but our impression of the airport security operation was that “bad days” are more the rule than the exception.
Do the citizens of Kaua‘i really want such first impressions of their beautiful isle and wonderful people?
The lead article in your paper this morning is timely indeed, but if the economy of Kaua‘i is to continue on the “upswing”, then someone needs to insure that these kinds of situations are as rare as snow in Po‘ipu!
Dr. William W. Wood, M.D.
A Visitor from the Mainland
Drug problem
One of the worst problems on Kaua‘i is drugs. Now if I had my way I’d take away all the drugs on the island, but that’s not possible, unless I was Superman, which I’m not. Hawai‘i has the second highest rate in the use of Ice. I see young kids now days just smoking marijuana and even possessing it in school. If young kids start doing drugs they will become dysfunctional people taking care of me in a care home when I’m old. A solution is that the police should do a better job with drug busts and should keep their head out for drug dealers.
Randall Duldulao
‘Ele‘ele
