Thursday is Thanksgiving but giving thanks for the many blessings we have in Hawaii should be a daily event. For the last several months, it seems many folks have been focusing on the negative, so let’s try something healthier. For this exercise, let us focus on the fact that recent election participation was one the best in recent history. Folks are recognizing that this experiment in democracy takes work. We can look back a how Native Americans, Mexicans, Hawaiians, African Americans, Filipinos, Japanese, Italians, Chinese, Irish and so many other ethnic groups were treated as they tried to fit into the American Dream. We can recognize that the two world wars of the early 20th century killed an estimated 100 million people.
Let us try not to focus on the 1940s and onward. Many American Japanese were being treated as enemies. They lost their homes and were sent to internment camps. Then came the 1950s with prejudice against African Americans and folks of the Jewish faith as they were being labeled communists. The sixties came along with continued violence against African Americans plus the Vietnam War splitting our nation until the war came to an end in 1975. The next decade was scarred by the mistreatment of soldiers returning from Vietnam trying to find their place in society back home. And this goes on and on until we are here today. It sounds dismal, and we cannot forget the terrible price we pay for fear and hatred when it is allowed to consume our sensibilities. Now is the time instead that we can emphasize the power of love and healing in our thoughts and meditations every day.
Here on the Big Island we are somewhat insulated from much of the world’s turmoil. The tropics of the world have many places with as much beauty as Hawaii, and there are many places where you can find friendly people. What is unique about Hawaii is that not only are we a beautiful and friendly place, we have a form of government that allows us to live in relative safety and prosperity. Our form of government attempts to allow for rule of the majority with protection of the minority. It is just enough capitalistic that it rewards free enterprise and just enough socialistic that most folks have food, shelter and medical care. Now some readers would disagree, but compared to most tropical African, Asian or American countries this is a reality. Haiti for example, fought for freedom from the French centuries ago, but its own internal politics have left it a country where one never really feels safe. Most people live very close to hunger, illness and a relatively short life span. They are enduring, tenacious and hard working, but without an environment that allows their talents to prosper, they struggle to thrive. Some of the Haitian farmers with whom I have worked, would be millionaires if they were living in a place like Hawaii. Like Haiti, the same holds true in places like Guyana, Nicaragua, or Timor.
Sometimes we forget how fortunate we are. Too often, Thanksgiving is about eating too much rich food and the worry that the weight gain is likely to continue until the New Year or maybe Easter. Unlike much of the tropical world, we don’t usually have to worry about from where our next meal comes. However, it should be the perfect time to sincerely give thanks for all the many blessings around us in Hawaii every single day. Not only do we live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, we are blessed with the abundance of a great variety of food crops.
We celebrate this abundance with mango festivals, breadfruit festival, and we just finished celebrating our special coffee with the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. We even have a macadamia festival. These events merely scratch the surface when it comes to all the amazing fruits, nuts, vegetables and spices we are able to grow.
Hawaiian gardeners may grow many tropical fruits like citrus, mangoes, bananas and avocados, but often overlook some favorites from warm temperate climates like apples, peaches, pomegranates, figs, kiwi fruits and persimmons. With all the microclimates available, we can grow almost anything! The joy of sharing the fruits of our gardening labor at local farmers markets and with our neighbors adds even more blessings.
Check with local nurseries for these fruit trees and more to make your home gardening more fruitful. The University of Hawaii Master Gardeners and Agricultural Extension staff can assist you in the care and maintenance of your fruits and vegetables. The phone number in Hilo is (808) 981-5199 and in Kona, call (808) 322-4893. Remember, one of the best ways to count our daily blessings is by spending some time in the garden and appreciating the fruits of our efforts.