The Essay Contest

In 7th grade i was flown out across the island archipelago to receive an award for an essay contest reflecting on the Hawaiian values of KOKUA (to help others) and KAHIAU (to give generously with the heart), how I have demonstrated these values in my life.

Even at 12, I was a little cretin who had never helped anyone or given generously with my heart even once, but i had a vivid imagination, so i crafted a story in which my friends and I were cleaning up trash on the beach, which inspired other people to do so, which resulted in a great big orgiastic scene of spontaneous-community-service-induced-love in which we all lived happily ever after.

It didn’t go exactly like that, I don’t know. it was a long time ago. but I do know that it was a completely fabricated story in which I helped people, garnished with musings about love and community or whatever and I felt pretty smug submitting it. 

So imagine how I feel when they fly Mom and I across the island archipelago to Honolulu and have me stand up in front of a full ballroom of friendly distinguished islanders with my bowl cut hair over my eyes accepting the award and generous cash prize that accompanied it for an essay I wrote about a thing I didn’t do.

It was truly at that moment that i realized we live in a society and nothing is real. My personal joker moment.