Page 2 - MidWeek Kauai - Jan 4, 2023

2 KAUA‘I MIDWEEK JANUARY 4, 2023
The Gift Of Responsibility
“Responsibility is the possibility of opportunity culminating in inevitable fulfillment.” — Sri Chinmoy
The author says that guiding her mother through the last year of her life was a great privilege, and her mom’s bravery during that time inspired her to be less afraid of facing her own death.
IRough Landing
Since my mother had been living alone in Hilo, I flew from Ho-
spite her discomfort. She loved to watch Japanese and Bing Crosby movies and sang along with him on TV. She also loved our outings around O‘ahu be- tween treatments, and ate anything she wanted when able. In turn, I learned much about her life through her wonderful stories. Our talks and her bravery burnished all the rough edges of our relationship that may have remained. We became good friends.
took a day trip recently. A semi-leisurely trio of flights to neighbor islands (at great rates) to ensure I’d keep my “special” airline status in 2023. Seemed simple enough
nolulu as often as I could — usually on Friday af- ternoons after work. My mother would pick me up at the airport and we would holoholo before going to her home. One day, she didn’t show up. I called and called without success. I finally caught a cab and found her sprawled on the floor unable to get up. The ambulance came and took her to the hospital with her imploring: “No sirens please.”
would be all right. Initially, afraid of being responsible for her care, I learned that guiding her through the last year of her life had been a great privilege. I am filled with gratitude for that. Her gift of bravery and love has made me less afraid of hav- ing to face my own aging and death.
Juliet Lee is a writer in- spired by Shin Buddhism.
Chasing The Light is pro- duced by Lynne Johnson and Robin Stephens Rohr.
— HNL to OGG (Kahului) to KOA (Kona) and back home. Leave enough room in between trips to be safe — perhaps a meal here or there within the airport confines (not willing to tempt TSA lines); home in time for 3:15 p.m. Sunday Night Football.
You’ve heard of having a bad hair day? Well, I had a bad air day. Unfortunately, I picked that turbulent Sunday, Dec. 18, when torrential rain, wind and lightning ruled. The flight to Maui had just a wee bit of turbulence. And then the fun began. Airport closures, incessant delays and wind-aided downpours flustered frenzied fliers, some trying to get to Ho- nolulu to catch the only available flight home that afternoon.
With a diagnosis of pan- creatic cancer, I felt it my responsibility to take care of her. With trepidation and help from my sturdy hus-
band, I undertook this duty. Was I up to the task? Would Idoagoodjob?
Throughout her illness, she tried not to burden us. I was saddened by the winding down of her life; although not saying much, she often patted my hand to indicate that everything
Maui to Kona’s flight was uneventful, but we landed 100 minutes late, at 1:40 p.m., and my flight from Kona back to Honolulu left at 1:30 p.m. I’m in Kona, relatively un- prepared, and suddenly that quaint indoor/outdoor holding area became my prison. I couldn’t venture outside; I might miss the airline announcement about my make-up flight. I couldn’t saunter into the sole on-site restaurant; no loud- speaker inside. So calmly, I simply waited ... and waited ... for five hours.
Her last months with us turned out to be delightful, for she remained joyful de-
with Juliet Lee
Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column, and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest). Answers are on page 7
RATING: BRONZE
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Finally, after unsuccessfully circumnavigating plentiful puddles, sideways rain and 350-plus travelers anxiously boxed in and awaiting news about missed connections or lightning delays (can’t board/deboard aircraft at an outdoor airport when lightning’s spotted; can’t refuel either), I glee- fully got onto a much-delayed flight, landing back at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport at 8 a.m. — a 13-hour day spent in the not-so-friendly skies simply to get back to where I started.
As a lifetime impatient (not inpatient) person, I rationalized the realities of Mother Nature’s whims that Sunday. No point being upset. I remembered a favorite saying: “Don’t worry about things over which you have no control.” OK, I missed (arguably) the greatest World Cup soccer final ever — and three NFL games decided on the final play. But I did witness quality airport/airline employees making the best of a bad situation well out of their control, and (most importantly) earned those necessary miles to ensure that 2023 should be an enjoyable year of travel through trade-offs (for life surely is about trade-offs). Inconvenience today, more convenience tomorrow. My final 2022 trade-off. Happy New Year.
Think about it.
john@thinkaboutithawaii.com