Well, it seems that Kauai was not the paradise that Mr. Don Stone thought when he visited here recently. In a letter to the editor published in TGI Monday, Mr. Stone shared his disappointment that the rented camera he left
Well, it seems that Kauai was not the paradise that Mr. Don Stone thought when he visited here recently. In a letter to the editor published in TGI Monday, Mr. Stone shared his disappointment that the rented camera he left behind at an event was not turned in. This ended up costing him some priceless memories, which would be disheartening to anyone, and around $185. That’s not an enormous financial loss, but enough to leave a sour taste for Mr. Stone, as he then spent some of his vacation cutting back on spending to make up for that loss. He mentioned his vacation was also marred by pulling a visitor from the water at Tunnels Beach, who drowned.
Allow us to respond:
Dear Mr. Stone,
We here on Kauai are sorry your stay didn’t go better. This is an island that takes great pride in its Aloha spirit and wishes the best for our visitors. From your previous vacations here, it sounds like that is what you’ve encountered.
We are sorry, too, the camera that you left behind at a gathering was not turned in. We all lose things, wallets, keys, identification, and it’s always a great relief and joy when we get them back. It’s always a disappointment when we realize someone stole what was once ours, and that loss is disheartening.
We hope your camera shows up (and it still may) and we can return it to you at your home in Washington state.
However, we must sadly report that just like everywhere else in this world, Kauai does have dishonest people — people who will keep a camera, a wallet, keys, when they find them. While we wish there wasn’t, there is crime here. It is why we always remind our guests to lock the doors of their vacation site. We caution against leaving valuables in your car. We ask you to not take long walks on the beach and leave bags or purses behind.
And while we, too, are sorry you were there for the traumatic event of a man drowning at Tunnels Beach, we thank you for pulling him from the water and doing all you could for him. That is a great example of doing all you can for others.
The main message we want to share is this: We will all face adversity and have things happen we wish had not. We all have personal responsibility for our actions, and for how we react to situations. We can chose to make the best of such situations, perhaps even learn from our mistakes, or we can lament, worry and fret, even become angry, and blame others for our misfortune.
Kauai is a paradise, Mr. Stone. But it is not a paradise without challenges. It is not a paradise without crime. It is not a paradise without disagreement.
So, we ask that you not let the unfortunate mistake of leaving your camera behind, and someone apparently taking it, ruin your feelings for Kauai. The majority of the people, nearly all of them, in fact, are as honest and caring as you once believed.
Should you return to Kauai, and we hope you do, we think you’ll find your days here will be among those you will always treasure. Not necessarily because of its beaches and sunsets, though they are stunning, but because of the people. Get to know them, and you’ll find they’re pretty special, too.
