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According to the American Optometric Association, “20/20 vision is a term used to express normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance.”

So now that we’ve entered the new world of 2020, will you have the 20/20 vision to see things more clearly? Will Hawai`i step back and reflect on where it’s going? And if things don’t seem clear, will we take corrective measures, like contact lenses or eyeglasses for our minds, to make wiser, happier, fulfilling choices for the future?

We can all list resolutions to begin in earnest this week, but we know where many of those traditionally end up by January 25… discarded, ignored, forgotten, or just too dang difficult because we’re all “so busy”. Maybe it’s time to break things down into manageable chunks, a concept known as “kaizen”, a “change for the better”. This method was popularized in re-building, devastated Japan after World War II, but was actually brought there via WWII-era United States manufacturing/industrial business leaders who visited Japan right after the war ended.

Simply put, walk around the block today. You’ll accomplish you’re first goal of exercising more (and perhaps losing weight) without stuffing unreasonable and ultimately failing concepts into your brain- like “I’ve got to work out 150-minutes weekly”, or “I’ve got to lose twenty pounds quickly”. Walk “briskly” for 10-minutes; maybe you’ll also lose two pounds. A double win, a confidence boost. Endorphins arise!

Soon, try to walk around the block twice; ultimately, do it four days weekly. Simple cause and effect. Simple because you realize a sense of accomplishment right from the get-go. Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, and your journey to wherever (improving health, relationships, mindset, work plans, financial goals, or renewed sense of purpose in life) can start with one small step. Build confidence and stamina, and you build a bridge toward your goal(s).

So Happy New Year! Here’s to focusing your 20/20 vision in 2020 on a multitude of projects, or even just one vital item. We might not be watching, or aware, but you will be.

Think about it…

And so it was set forth that this year was different…

… for on this Christmas, we resolved to truly be more active listeners, more empathetic, and more compassionate.

… and officials decided to resolve many items that annually fester, are discussed, researched, studied, probed, committee-d, and inevitably ignored- like the Haiku Stairway To Heaven, the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial, truly “affordable” housing, the Falls of Clyde, the TMT, leeward-side contra flow lanes in the afternoons, incessant legislative micromanagement of UH, a bypass road for the leeward side, et al.

…and we decided to more often do what’s pono, to cherish the aina, to exchange “ha” sincerely and regularly, and not simply talk about the aloha spirit, but rather live it and breathe it consciously. We stopped taking Hawai`i for granted.

…and repeatedly elected officials decided that after a decade or so they would gracefully bow out after having given their time, input, and energy to truly help our islands move forward, rather than simply hang around past their “use by” date as they cautiously avoided tackling and resolving tough issues faced annually, much to the chagrin of the people who actually elected them to tackle and resolve tough issues.

…and all mankind locally decided to look up often from their electronic devices, to realize that the sun did come out today, that the air was clean, that birds still flew in our midst and leaves still shimmered in the (less frequent, it seems) trade winds. And we saw sights we’d never seen before, like a child having fun playing nearby, or a pedestrian crossing the intersection in front of us. When unplugged and detached from devices and social media, we focused on being truly and mindfully present with friends, family, loved ones and co-workers, and we survived… happily, in fact. Perhaps a trend can begin here- competent consciousness, awareness of our personal zone, surroundings, and beyond… an enlightenment.

…and we appreciated the people and things that we do have; we acknowledged thoughtfulness of people regularly, and mandated that we, too, would give more, and we realized that giving is not realized in gift cards given one day a year.

… and we smiled and laughed much more. Merry Christmas.

Think about it.

Nice new news about the nene! Hawaii’s state bird is being moved from the endangered category to the threatened category, after a half-century effort to move the fowl away from the foul plans and realities of predators, loss of native habitat, and other concerning actions and entities that had the treasured bird’s population down to a paltry (not poultry) 30 birds left in our midst some 60 years ago.

That population has now risen to an estimated 2,800 nene as the efforts to save the endemic bird are proving to be successful. It is estimated that there were more than 250,000 nene traipsing along trails here 250 years ago when people said, “duck, duck… a goose!”

A concerted effort involving the private sector, volunteers, government agencies, and others over the years is paying off. We all know that approaching a nene is a no-no, so even the public relations effort has been generally working. 

Strange… humans often respect the rights of other species (including monk seals and honu here) while we are less civil, compassionate, and empathetic with one another. On various topics (impeachment, Constitutional intent, TMT, civil rights, immigration, guns) we have drawn such huge lines in the sand, those lines have become walls. Civil discourse has become civil disgust, trust wavers, and we are all the worse for wear.

We see articles explaining how to act at family gatherings to avoid seismic dust-ups over politics, religion, cell phone misuse, and whether LSU or Ohio State football should rightfully be ranked #1.

How bizarre that common sense and soulful, conscious activism bring (most of) us together over local seals, green sea turtles, and endangered geese, not to mention beloved pet dogs and cats, but we don’t we see enough level-headed debate and discussion when it comes to issues that impact the fragile human race.

Egos, fears, modern internationalism, re-election anxiety, veiled and real threats, repugnant social media, societal changes, mommy didn’t say she loved us enough as kids- who knows. At least we now have the nice nene rebound. Good things often occur when the heart and the head work together for a common cause. The nene revival has shown us what happens when we stop stepping in the poop. Think about it…

The proverb goes: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. Well, the roads to/from Kailua, Kaneohe, Salt Lake, Hawaii Kai, and downtown (King Street, Beretania) haven’t been paved with very good stuff for years, let alone good intentions. 

A recent Star-Advertiser editorial noted that the Pali Highway is being repaved with stone matrix asphalt (SMA), a longer-lasting solution than the Silly Putty previously used repeatedly. The editorial also mentioned that SMA was first “experimented with” on Moanalua Highway with great success- in 2004! 15-years and untold re-alignments later, and we’re just now designating this proven mix for high-traffic areas like the Pali?! Some have suggested that repaving is just a government/union plot to keep pavers re-paving, but that’s too cynical… I hope. 

A knowledgeable, forthright Department of Transportation administrator told me that SMA is great, but its strength makes it harder to remove than other asphalt mixtures, so it can’t reasonably be used on streets with aging, underground infrastructure (water, sewer, electricity). So I asked why this magic mix hasn’t been selectively used more often over the last 15 years, since it works. Ahhh… apparently, the state and the City of Honolulu didn’t traditionally collaborate with one another or the asphalt gurus to realize the best prices, equipment needs, and economy of scale solutions. 

While cheaper material is readily available, the results last for a shorter term. Perhaps egos, power trips, installation costs, budget concerns, and/or jurisdictional, territorial garbage got in the way, but SMA simply hasn’t been used on high volume roads here since 2004.

Some local government officials tout how many miles have been re-paved annually, rather than focus on more permanent fixes on problem roads. My neighborhood had zero road quality issues, yet was recently repaved. A “Think About It” reader told me that the same thing happened in her pristine Pearl City neighborhood; relatively needless work that pads the annual statistics.

But now that the city (Beretania, King, Kapi`olani, Salt Lake, etc.) and the state (Pali, Likelike, Farrington, Kalanianaole, Nimitz, etc.) are working closer together with asphalt companies on low-, medium-, and high-volume asphalt answers, repair costs should come down; we’ll see fewer potholes and less repair redundancy, leading to a better future for vehicles traveling on Oahu’s busiest thoroughfares. Think about it…

This story originally appeared in the December 11, 2019 Midweek.

“‘Tis the season…” Well, that what we’re told. Every year at this time, we begin a lovely six-week cycle of giving thanks, sharing good tidings, making cookies, and really pushing ourselves to be more aware; more courteous, gracious, empathetic, and focused on the people and little things that truly matter and make a difference in our lives.

But flawed as we might be as a species, must we require a calendar to mandate or nudge this uplifting part of our humanity? Since we have proved that we can sustain amped up feelings of joy, goodness, and caring from now into the new year, here’s a wild thought… let’s do it all of the time!

It would be nice to gift co-workers and support people with Starbucks’, Zippy’s, or McDonalds’ gift cards in March. It’s cool to bake cookies for “the team” in May. It’s kosher to handwrite small notes of thanks and appreciation in August. Heck, it’s even unexpected! Take nothing away from the deeply spiritual reasons that we celebrate late in the year, but embrace that this joie de vivre, this feeling of happiness and acuity need not be simply a seasonal affective order.

We are blessed here with an underlying concept- the “aloha spirit”. Mix that in with some good, old “Christmas spirit”, stir it up, and voila, you’ve got a wholesome recipe not just for the holidays, but for every day. No absolute construct of mankind (i.e., the calendar) should dictate to us when to rise above our daily existences to be more compassionate.

And here’s a bonus. Doing good helps to release internal chemicals like dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin, and that’s really healthy- any time of year! Smiling, laughing, and giving of yourself, while not exactly the equivalent of eating kale or taking a brisk 30-minute walk daily, actually helps your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being! We don’t need annual 30% off holiday sales to remind us of that, do we?

So let’s see if we can stretch a bit, take this holiday habit and spread it out. Mark your calendar for April 3 to bake mochi for co-workers. Spend time in July with those grieving the loss of a loved one, just because. Let someone know you care and you’re there for them, and do it in September. “‘Tis the season” can become a more universal habit and mantra. It’s your call.

Think about it…

This story was originally published on November 27, 2019 in MidWeek.