Posted on: Sunday, November 20, 2005
Plenty of reasons to be thankful all around
By Michael C. DeMattos
'Tis the season to be thankful and like many other local folk I am thankful for my health, my family and to be gainfully employed. I don't want to minimize any one of these. Good health in the day and age of fast food and long hours is a challenge. So is a stable family life and a job you enjoy. Still, there are numerous other things for which to be thankful. Some are obvious, while others require a bit more reach.
I AM THANKFUL FOR...
The gas cap. OK, that is a lie, I can't stand the gas cap, but I can now tell you where to find the cheapest fuel on the island. (Hint: Find "Tracks" and then drive a little farther until you reach Nakatani's and you will find cheap gas.)
Traffic jams. I love to eat out and while the family will often celebrate special occasions, the most common excuse for dining out is the ever-present traffic.
Larry Price. Braddah is one of us, an ordinary, pidgin-speaking local boy who has done some extraordinary things. He has been a bodyguard to the stars, football coach, university instructor and, of course, radio and TV star in his own right. He has lived the life of a hundred people, but you get the feeling that you could still "kick it" with him. (See also potluck and the weekend pa'ina.)
Volunteerism. Recent studies have shown that social capital is down in most of the United States, but not Hawai'i. To work and get paid is wonderful, to volunteer is divine.
Potlucks and the weekend pa'ina. The worst thing you can do is overplan a potluck. Everyone in Hawai'i has their pet dish and it is best to let them "bust it out." My father-in-law makes a mean pork hash and my wife cooks up mouth-watering beef stew. Sitting in the backyard, talking story, with my plate sagging under the weight of the food, that is when you know life is good.
The municipal golf course. Golf is crack for the sado-masochistic athlete, and like any addiction, it can be quite pricey. But your average Hawai'i muni costs about 12 bucks to walk 18 holes. That puts golf within reach for all of us working stiffs.
Lee Cataluna. A master of the spoken and written word, her wit is rivaled only by her heart. She even talks pidgin. (See Larry Price.)
Awareness-raising rubber bands. It seems everyone is wearing them on their wrists even though they look a bit tacky. Still, they may be actually doing what they were intended to do — raise money and awareness for specific causes such as breast cancer.
Amid all the chaos and unpredictability, hope prevails and often where you would least expect it.
I admit that there are days when nothing seems to make sense to me, but more often than not, my dismay has as much to do with my inner world than the world around me. If I simply take the time to open my eyes and look around, I find that there are many things that are going right with this world of ours.
That is a comforting thought indeed, and a reason to be thankful.
Michael C. DeMattos is on faculty at the University of Hawai'i School of Social Work. He lives in Kane'ohe with his wife, daughter and two dogs.
