A Random Act of Kindness

I was in a bit of a hurry to get home after a busy day at Maku'u Farmer's Market last Sunday. Lei Hanato gave me a large bowl of special salad and I wanted to get home to taste it some more. On my way, I went to Orchidland to get a couple of things at the general store and walked by a lady sitting on the curb by Wiki-Wiki. She was attractive at first glance and apparently attracted to me in some way because her eyes never left me as I walked past her towards the store. I did my shopping and walked the same path past this lady and she was all eyes on me again as I walked by.....her eyes never left me. There was something disturbing about her look. I have seen those eyes before....

and they are haunting.

Part of the community service in my life has been spent on homeless and needy dinners for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays with corporate and church organizations. I volunteered to help with a serve-out at the Lighthouse Mission in the Burnside area of Portland, Oregon on Thanksgiving one year. There was so much food and the hall smelled like Grandma's cooking. We served a couple hundred people that day. They were all hungry, tired, stressed and in need of many things. All we could give them today was Grandma's Cooking and a few caring words. So I cleared another section of the table for another group to sit, and a young woman with 2 girls and one boy sat down to be served. The kids were about 10 and younger.They were dirty and ragged and as I sat their meals down, they stared at me...all four of them, with those eyes...wide open and needing and full of fear.This young woman sitting on the curb at wiki-wiki had the same eyes....the same eyes that I saw and felt on me that Thanksgiving day at the Mission 20 years ago.

After passing this woman with the eyes for the second time on my way out to the highway to work my way home, I was troubled. I was disturbed and guilty. My Grandmother was in my face and angry with me. I could hear her in my inner voice saying where is your Osdahige? Will you just walk away from this woman with the eyes? I stopped about 100 feet down the road as if She were blocking my path. I could walk no further. I obediently turned and walked back up to this woman and knelt down beside her and asked if she needed anything. She still held her eyes on me and said no. Do you need a ride? No She said. Are you hungry? and her eyes fell to the ground for the first time and she said yes I am. So I took Lei's wonderful salad out of my pack, found a fork and a napkin and gave it to her. Her eyes changed at that point..enough to say thank you and where in the hell did you come from? And why are you giving ME Pono? Those were the only words that we spoke to each other.

She is in a very dark and dangerous place and I was light, and we both knew. I kissed her cheek and gave Aloha and went on my way. I had nothing more to give to her in material form, but I gave her what she really needed, and it was good. I felt sad for this woman, but I also felt empowered by my Pono. my Osdahige, and that helped make one moment for this person in need just a little bit better. It was because of Lei's Pono and gift that I was able to give of myself and I was grateful.  
 

I strive everyday to make my Pono kuliana. This is not something that I "think about". It is something that is in my heart. Osdahige is from my Cherokee Grandmother and her Grandmother and all of our Ancestors. The word is Osdahige and it means goodness. In any language, it is a very powerful word with deep meaning for me. Whatever hardships I may be going through, however limited my life might seem, there is someone who is less fortunate than me. We all have something we can give to others. It may be a sincere smile or a hug. It could be words of support, kindness or affirmation, or it could be your new favorite salad. It is a Random Act of Kindness for someone in need. It is Osdahige and it is good.

J.Osprey