Blessings...

I had a powerful day. Full of affirmations and more insight into my own seemingly exponential Spiritual Growth. While waiting with a friend for his bus, another old friend and co-worker happened to walk by. It was great seeing him and we quickly caught up on life events as I introduced my other friend to him. It was a beautiful affirming conversation. He was soon on his way, but it was beautiful to see him, to give him a big hug, and to tell him I love him, and to tell him to give my love to another friend he was off to meet.

On the walk home, I ran into yet another good friend that I haven't seen in awhile. He asked me how I was and let me know that he was recently in the hospital and walking to exercise. I shared my story with him, as he hadn't really heard the details. I also let him know that along with walking to and from work, I was also blending all kinds of vegetables and greens, and drinking it every day. He said I looked great. I let him know that I never felt more clear-headed and strong.

We talked for quite awhile and in the end he admitted that had been contemplating buying a Vitamix to juice. He was actually on his way to the Farmer's Market which I had just passed myself, to buy vegetables. I again confirmed how easy it was to juice greens and how life-changing it is for me. I know his wife as well, and I pleaded with him to go ahead and get the blender, and just start getting green goodness into his body. After a half-hour, we parted in hugs and love. I told him that the reason we ran into each other today was for my message to him, for his health and Life. An affirmation. It was such a positive feeling as I walked the rest of the way home enjoying all the beauty around me.

After arriving home, I decided to run over to Foodland to pick up 'ahi poke limu (raw fish) and poi. I was so hungry for good food and protein to supplement my vegetable juice. Trying to follow the diet of my kupuna, my ancestors, to extend my Life. On the way into the store, I noticed an older Hawaiian man sitting outside the store entrance on a bench. I think I had seen him once or twice before, maybe sitting on a sidewalk or against a tree as he looked somewhat familiar but I couldn't really place him. He looked pretty beat-up and in pain.

He was stumbling to stand on his feet with the help of a beat-up walker. He had two Foodland bags in his hands and a bottle of soda. As he strained to stand up, still hunched over, his bottle of soda fell out of his hand and rolled over to the curb where it fell down in front of a parked car. He stood there shaky, looking towards his bottle. The five feet between him and his soda might as well have been a mile in his condition. As I came up upon him, I noticed he was very thin, and looked like he was ravaged by alcohol and diabetes, or kidney problems, given the condition of his feet and the sores on his skin.

I immediately said out loud, "Don't worry, Uncle, I got your bottle for you..." I reached down and picked it up and tried to put it in his hand. His fingers were all crooked and barely able to hold a grip on his walker. He struggled to hold the two plastic bags in his other hand as well gripping them and the walker handle with his crooked bent fingers. I noticed the bags held only a few empty plastic bottles in them. I realized he probably took them from the trash nearby for recycling to make a little money.

I managed to put the bottle into his hand, and he thanked me. He struggled a little, then managed to plop back down onto the concrete bench in frustration. He pretty much just fell backwards on his unstable feet. He laughed a little, and said "Might as well sit back down" as he unscrewed the bottle cap and began to drink his soda. I chuckled a little and said, "I think that is a good idea Uncle. Take care of yourself." He said, "Thanks bruddah."

I went into the store, counted my money in my wallet and realized that I didn't have as much money as I thought I did. I was able to buy two bags of poi and 1/2 pound of 'ahi limu poke for my dinner. As I was waiting in line, I looked down at my big cloth Foodland bag that I had bought a few months before in an attempt to avoid using plastic bags. I often forget to bring it to the store when I go food shopping, but remembered this time. It was clean because I had just washed it. I thought to myself, that when I exit the store, I should give it to Uncle so he could put his smaller bags into one larger bag and have an easier time with his limited mobility and walker.

As I waited in the checkout line, I saw a Honolulu Police Officer enter the store and talk with a Manager who walked up the ramp to meet him, then they both went outside. I thought to myself, oh no, I hope they aren't here because of Uncle. He was just sitting on the bench outside. I didn't see him panhandling or anything but you never know.

As I exited the store, there was no sign of Uncle, the Officer or Manager. As I walked towards the parking lot to turn the corner of the building, I saw some people looking back at something as they came towards me. I knew there must be a spectacle around the corner. Sure enough, as I turned, I saw Uncle slowly plopping down on the sidewalk alongside the store, and the Officer and Manager were standing over him. He was struggling to get up again, and they just stood there looking at him, maybe wondering what to do with him.

I slowly walked passed the three of them, thinking should I give Uncle my bag, should I say something, should I ask them what was happening? So many thoughts. Instead I walked on by. Hating every step I took as I walked further and further away. When I came to the end of the building, I mustered the courage to look back. He had managed to stand up again, hunched over, shaky, slowly pushing his walker through the parking lot. The Officer and Manager watched for awhile, then turned and went back around the corner. I guess they wanted him off the premises and were satisfied that he was hobbling away.

I stood there at the cross-walk, as the light signal turned, and people started crossing. I just stood there, wondering what to do as people passed me. Should I wait for him? Should I give him my bag still? Should I give him my fish and poi?  Should I just mind my own business and go home? I kept thinking what should I do as the light changed to red. I turned to watch him getting closer. I opened my bag and looked at my fish and two bags of poi. I thought I could put one bag of poi in my pocket and give him the cloth bag with the fish and poi in it. Then a feeling swept over me and I suddenly realized that I wasn't hungry for fish and poi anymore.

I actually asked Ke Akua, "Am I thinking of doing this, just to please You? To earn brownie points? Am I doing this to be able to share the story with others? Of my good deeds? Or am I doing it out of pure Love? I thought about the many times I help people here and there, and the many times people help me, most of it unrecorded and unshared. I figured this would be a simple act as well. I quickly turned off my brain, and listened to my na'au. Something my beloved Mother asked me to do, three months after she passed. Delivering a message to me from the Otherside. Trust my instincts, my gut feelings, my na'au. Quit analyzing everything. Simply trust in what feels Pono.

I turned to this hobbling struggling man as he stumbled onto the sidewalk towards me and went up to him. I said, "Aloha Uncle! Are you okay? Would you like a bag to hold your other bags in? He strained to look up at me and smiled. "That would be great." I said, "Would you like some 'ahi poke and poi? I have two bags of poi and fish in here." He lit up even more, and said, "Thank you, that would be great." He stumbled, and plopped down on a nearby concrete wall, as I noticed that he couldn't stand for extended periods of time in his shaky weakened condition. I helped him put his other bags into my cloth bag, which was now considerably heavier because of the fish and poi in it, and made sure he could hold onto the bag and his walker. I patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Take care my friend." I turned and walked to the stoplight and crosswalk again. It was red. So I had to stand there. I felt an overwhelming sense of joy. I looked up at the sky, and felt like the cross-walk light was red for a reason.There was something else I needed to do.

Then I looked back at him, sitting there, hunched over with his walker and bag. I asked myself, how was he supposed to eat his food, with his fingers? I knew he could. I knew he would. But was that Pono? I went back over to him, and said, "Uncle, do you want me to grab you a plastic fork and spoon from inside the store? To eat with?" He looked up, and nodded, saying, "That would be nice. Thank you." I said, "Okay, wait right here, don't go anywhere."

I walked back to the store and went back inside to the deli counter where I always get a plastic fork from, and grabbed a fork and spoon. As I walked towards the exit, I actually thought someone would grab me and yell, "Stop! He shoplifted a fork and spoon! Get him!" lol...

To my relief, I found Uncle back where I left him. I gave him the fork and spoon and he gladly put them in his bag. He thanked me again. I gave him my Aloha and walked over to the stoplight and crosswalk. It had just turned red again. I had to wait. I looked up at the sky, and said, "Alright, Ke Akua...I know there is something more."

I got up the courage and walked back to Uncle and bent down to look at him face-to-face, and said, "Uncle, what is your name?" He looked up at me and said "Dewey." I said, "Nice to meet you Dewey, I'm Kai." He extended his crooked hand towards me, I extended my hand, and he knuckle bumped my hand with a smile on his face. I asked, "Where's your 'ohana from Uncle?" He looked up and said, "Kaua'i." My heart sank instantly as that was my 'ohana's island too. This feeling of love enveloped me for this man. Then he added, "Koloa."  I felt a wave of emotion run through me. I excitedly said, "Wow! That's where I am from. My great-great-great grandfather, Kalopili Naea married Ka'uhane Kuku. They were born in Koloa in the 1840s. His tutus were Ka'uhane and Kamano." Uncle smiled. I said, "We're probably 'ohana."

Then my own words sunk into me. He put his head down as his eyes filled with tears, and I felt deep regret and sorrow emanating from him. I sensed shame and embarrassment too. I tried to change the subject and cheerfully said, "Uncle, make sure you eat the fish and poi. It is good for your body." He said, "Yes!"

He started moving forward with his walker towards the line of bus stop benches where some other people were temporarily living, and said excitedly, with a big smile, "I'm going to eat it right now!" I told him take care, and turned around.

The cross-walk light had just turned white and I immediately crossed the street. As soon as I entered the cross-walk, and stepped onto the roadway, I burst into tears. I tried to hide it from the line of cars waiting at the light but the amount of tears pouring forth surprised even me. I held up my hand pretending I was rubbing my forehead to hide my eyes. I made it across to the other sidewalk and cut through the bushes at my apartment building, letting the tears cascade down freely in my temporary hideaway while my stomach convulsed with each stream flowing down my face.

When I regained my composure, I returned home from my dinner shopping trip. Empty handed. But truly full of everything I need in this Life. Everything. Mahalo Ke Akua.