Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 8, 1 August 1999 — Reflections on lessons learned and not learned [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Reflections on lessons learned and not learned

ĪHE WORD "interesting" brings to mind a warning that Kupuna Alaka'i Betty Jenkins tells our 'Aha 'Ōpio delegates eaeh year before "high tea" on opening day. After explaining what a high tea is and its signifieanee to our young people, she instructs them to try everything because etiquette and protocol so demand. But, she eautions, when you eome across items you don't particularly care for, your reactions to your host must be tempered and you are to say, "This is interesting!" Yes, OHA has had an interesting history. Among our many programs, I am reminded that OHA began in its formative years a program called 'ih'ili grants. The program did not last long and although we ean count some successes, its overall effect was "interesting." However, from this humble beginning our experience grew and evolved into our Grant, Subsidies, Purchase of Services and Donations (GSPD)program whieh serves many beneficiaries and Hawaiian service agencies. The revolving loan fund is another example of an experimental program whieh has evolved from "interesting" experiences to a larger and more permanent office appendage. The fledgling Kupuna and 'Aha 'Ōpio programs fihed with interesting experiences were improved upon anel today continue to flourish and positively impact our elders and youth. There are many more examples that memory ean revisit. There are also stories of programs or events that have been "interesting" and heard of no more. However, even these programs or stories have their plaee as those experiences inlluenee our present and future. It is all a learning experience. Eaeh step teaches a new lesson. For us to grow, we need good eperiences and bad experiences. We must leam to distinguish between these good experiences and interesting ones. And by distinguishing the differences, we must apply the lessons and seek maturity, seek positive growth, seek positive attitudes, eam positive results. As I reflect on my nearly 20 years of service as a tmstee, I remember many positive moments, share many joyous events, and acknowledge many program successes. However, among these memories are also reflections of too many "interesting" events and dialogues. We should be better at this than we are. We should be wiser and more mature after 20 years of OHA's existence. Yet, our every day activities do not demonstrate that we as trustees, we as people, we as beneficiaries, we as fellow Hawaiians, of the same koko, sharing

eommon ancestors, eommon links, have ever leamed the lessons of maturity, civility, kindness, caring and LOVE. Instead, we carry our kaumaha around, we carry our prejudices, our hatred, our disagreements, our feuds with us daily. Why do we lessen ourselves, diminish our contributions, embarrass ourselves and our famihes by allowing shameful and immature garbage flow from our mouths and exude from our body language? Why do we behttle eaeh other and speak profanity and ahow ourselves to be diverted from our duties and mission?

These activities are not limited to selected ttustees, there is enough lepo for all to share. Beneficiaries are also guilty when they address their frusttations toward other beneficiaries and toward ttustees. We should, all of us, resolve to put those things behind us, move forward to complete our duties and to tteat everyone with DIGNITY and LOVE. Let's eliminate lessons not leamed and make our goal for life about those lessons leamed. "Who so keepeīh his mouīh and his tongue keepeth his soulfrom troubles." — Proverbs 21:23 ■

"Eaeh step teaches a new lesson. For us to grow, we need good experiences and bad experiences. "

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