09-22-2014, 05:22 AM
Mahalo Opihikao for sharing that.
Even though I am a transplant from the mainland, I've lived overseas for a big chunk of my life, so perhaps my outlook is different than others. What I can truly relate to with Hawaiian culture, is the idea of focusing not on what we can't control (nature), but on what we can: helping each other through the strength of community.
But man, what a bizarre mix of feelings right now. The Japanese have an expression “mono no a-wa-re,” translated loosely as “the pathos of it all.” Mono no a-wa-re acknowledges the transience of all things, and by doing so evokes a kind of reflective sadness. Beneath all that sadness is the essence of Japanese aesthetics and perception of beauty: only by acknowledging the ephemeral nature of reality can you bear witness to the beauty within.
I've known about and studied "mono no a-wa-re" for many years. But for the first time in my life I'm actually feeling it. Puna is looking a lot more beautiful these days, but it might just be me.
Oddly enough, even though I'm as capable of being a worry-wart as the next guy, the lava flow is so far out of my control (um, that would be zero) that I truly am at peace, embracing the uncertainty, and focusing on being ready for the worst-case scenario (which thankfully, if we all play our cards right, should avoid any loss of life). Whether the flow hits my neighborhood or not, it doesn't change how I feel. It's so sad that so many lives and lifestyles will be uprooted. But it has also kindled a greater appreciation for what I have, and a very strange sense of excitement for things to come.
Even though I am a transplant from the mainland, I've lived overseas for a big chunk of my life, so perhaps my outlook is different than others. What I can truly relate to with Hawaiian culture, is the idea of focusing not on what we can't control (nature), but on what we can: helping each other through the strength of community.
But man, what a bizarre mix of feelings right now. The Japanese have an expression “mono no a-wa-re,” translated loosely as “the pathos of it all.” Mono no a-wa-re acknowledges the transience of all things, and by doing so evokes a kind of reflective sadness. Beneath all that sadness is the essence of Japanese aesthetics and perception of beauty: only by acknowledging the ephemeral nature of reality can you bear witness to the beauty within.
I've known about and studied "mono no a-wa-re" for many years. But for the first time in my life I'm actually feeling it. Puna is looking a lot more beautiful these days, but it might just be me.
Oddly enough, even though I'm as capable of being a worry-wart as the next guy, the lava flow is so far out of my control (um, that would be zero) that I truly am at peace, embracing the uncertainty, and focusing on being ready for the worst-case scenario (which thankfully, if we all play our cards right, should avoid any loss of life). Whether the flow hits my neighborhood or not, it doesn't change how I feel. It's so sad that so many lives and lifestyles will be uprooted. But it has also kindled a greater appreciation for what I have, and a very strange sense of excitement for things to come.
Tim
A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions--Confucius
A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions--Confucius