Eternal optimism...

In looking at this photo, I am reminded of a story shared by a blind kupuna, Ka`anoi, about the time he was standing in front of his School for the Blind, with a dark cloud over his head leading him down the dim angry corridor of self-pity. He heard a schoolbus approaching and the vibrant sound of children's excited voices filled the air above the din of the downshifting and squealing brakes. The excitement of the field trip filled the children with the promise of new discoveries, shared memories and plain old fun. It was only after the bus stopped, and Kupuna Ka`anoi was introduced to one of the youngsters, that he was surprised to learn that the children were all blind as well. As the child and kupuna exchanged greetings and took turns feeling each other's assistance canes, his being big and rough, and the child's small and smooth, and like a little candy cane, as kupuna would later describe it, Kupuna Ka`anoi was struck by the lesson of never letting the child in you die. And so it is, with my beautiful son Elliott. Though I fear for the future, and the life which lay ahead of you in this turbulent political and natural world, I remain humbled by the grace of God in your eyes and smile...