Children

 Children

No matter how far in life we come, it seems like we can always be held accounted for by somebody else. We have grown up together, matured and developed into young adults but sometimes it hits us that we are still yet, children. This thought crossed my mind as a police officer, shortly after waking me up from my mere 2 hours of sleep, was telling me about this little light green plant that was one of many natural plants making a come back on the island. He told us of how the state is spending the little money it has on trying to create as close to optimal environment as possible for these species to prosper and until then it is illegal to camp at such spots.

We grow up and go off to college and a lot of people will tell you they really matured once leaving the nest, at least the ones who did leave the nest. They will tell you stories about how they pay certain bills or make dinner and have a job and their own place they are renting out, basically bragging about being a mature adult now. As these mature adults, my friends and I decided to go camping at Kaena Point on the North Shore, because after all, we make our own life decisions so we can do that. We brought tents, supplies for a fire, a camping grill, some headlamps and of course, some beverages. During the night, though nobody really ever directly thinks it, we all act like adults, we sometimes let the inner child out but there’s usually someone there to give some guidance so nobody winds up falling into the fire pit or other horrific accidents that could easily occur in the out doors.  We feel proud as we set up camp and put out the garbage bags and think to ourselves “malama aina” save the island. But by morning time as the officer is giving me a verbal warning as my friend leaves to wake up the other kids sleeping in their cars to avoid the nightly rain showers, that alcohol as well as camp fires are also illegal here and that we are very lucky he’s not the state or else we’d all be getting hefty fines. He follows up with a line that hit me like a train, “I’m not your mom but I’m going to come down on you hard like yours would, you guys are good kids I’m sure but you just should have known better...”

As I looked around at the mess I needed to clean up as fast as possible I saw cans scattered everywhere, I thought about the pallets we burned and buried that we never thought to take out the nails in those pallets before tossing them on the fire. The fire which burned so furiously and required us to constantly go out checking for more and more wood because out of 20 people there, only 3-6 would volunteer each time, the same 3-6. Fire in my opinion is the most important part of camping or a close second behind shelter for sleeping. So it doesn’t seem the most responsible to watch the last log burn up thinking, “oh we got time guys, don’t worry!”

So are we really adults? Or did we just set up the night as if, and then let loose. For this, I know that I’ve still a lot to learn before I can look myself in the mirror and be convinced I’m truly responsible adult. Adults get drunk but they do it in legal camp areas, they don’t throw their empties in a pile on the ground they throw them in a bag. The fire is always burning at a constant level and does not create a potential future problem to the environment around it. Did anybody bring any first aid? I was going to but I realized I forgot the little kit I was going to bring but I was rushed out and we were already a few miles down the road. But nobody else had anything. These little things add up to be big solutions to minor problems and the keep those minor problems from becoming serious issues of the night.

I have nothing at all against acting like children, in fact I’m more likely than not in favor of that behavior, but I only favor that behavior from an emotionally mature standpoint. I feel that it’s a safe haven that is fun to visit but should never be looked to as a permanent output. We all need to realize that we still have things to learn, our parents will tell us that they still learn from their parents or parent in-laws or other mentors but we have a lot more to learn than our parents. There’s a long path ahead and he who enters with a cloud of ignorance shall find a very dark and gloomy adventure. So ask questions, make mistakes; learn so that you can have a light on this journey. Enlightenment is the key to success in everything we do.  Be a child, but more importantly, know when to be an adult, not act like an adult, but be an adult!