I recently visited one of the less commercialized Islands of Hawaii, the Big Island with my family for winter break. When exploring “Coconut Island”, a smaller branch off of the main island, a local lady told us how they used to tell if people were sick on the island. They would tell the sick person to make a lap around the island. She went on to explain that if the sick person could make it around the island then they would be fine, but if they could not make the lap around then death was most likely inevitable. She went on to tell us that this was decades ago and that things in Hawaii have rapidly improved.
Hawaii is known for its raw beauty. From the various colored beaches to active volcanoes, Hawaii offers sheer natural beauty that can’t be seen anywhere else. However, in a couple of spots, trash on a large scale was seen like this:
After asking if most of this trash is from tourists, many locals actually said it was people who live locally who had left trash. Over time, trash has collected there by local individuals who have left their things there. Maybe it is the sense of feeling like one is at home that makes one feel more comfortable leaving something in the open, but it is these habits that have led to pollution and disease of other places and bodies of water.
There is an old quote that describes Grecian free divers which is, “when swimming into a dark tunnel, there arrives a point of no return when you no longer have enough breath to double back. Your only choice is to swim forward into the unknown… and pray for an exit.”
After visiting Hawaii., it is apparent that the “divers” may have once been trapped in a tunnel in regards to preserving the health and natural beauty of their land, but they have found their exit, and that the beautiful state of Hawaii will continue to prosper for many years to come. According to the United Health Foundation, in 2017, Hawaii was ranked 2nd in the U.S. for overall health. While it may seem like Hawaii is underdeveloped or still has a long way to go when compared to the industrialized healthcare processes of the majority of the other states, the beauty of the land of Hawaii also carries beauty in the people and health in Hawaii is at the top of overall health in the United States.
