BC Cook
THE tragic wildfires that ravaged Maui in the Hawaiian Islands brought that community to its knees. Homes, schools, and hospitals are gone. Public services like power and water and barely functioning, if at all. Many residents have become refugees and some are still unaccounted for.
While Maui may not be used to such disasters, other islands around the Pacific have borne their share of such miseries. It is in the spirit of brotherhood that we in Saipan offer some advice that has been earned over many trials and tribulations. May you find comfort that aids your road to recovery.
People are more important than things: There is no debate that losing a home, a car, even a job, can be very stressful. Before worrying about such things, however, make sure all your family and friends are safe and comfortable to the extent circumstances allow. A car can be replaced, a parent cannot. Do your loved ones have what they need in terms of prescription medications, eyeglasses, and so on? Do you have these things yourself? Is there anything you can do to help?
Basic services come next: Power and water are next on the list. Through these two basic services so much else is possible, and without them, not much recovery can take place. Beyond that, trash services are important, as are a functioning hospital and police services. Fiendish people will always try take advantage of disasters, kicking people when they are down.
Maintain your joy despite trials: The following advice is taken from a handbook on offshore survival. “The positive frame of mind which is necessary to survive the situation becomes absolutely vital. It is probably safe to say that more people have lost their lives through having a negative attitude towards survival than have done so through ignorance of what to do.” Further, “physical strength and technical ability are certainly important factors, but by far the most important factor is your mental ability to cope with situations as they develop and change. The ability to think situations through and find solutions is the key.” Believe you will get through this, and you likely will. Each one of us has a choice to be part of the solution or part of the problem.
Helping others eases your own burden: I knew a man who suffered from a severe case of Parkinson’s disease. Yet, he got up every morning, got dressed, went about his daily routine and never complained even though the slightest action, such as tying his shoes, was a monumental effort for him. Whenever I felt overwhelmed by problems, I thought of him. The surest way of putting your problems into perspective and not allowing them to overwhelm you is to help someone else solve their problems. When I took him to the store or sat in his living room, my problems miraculously dissolved. I thought, what I am going through is nothing compared to what he goes through every day. It is not that my problems weren’t real, but there is a lesson in perspective to be gained.
Maui, it will take time, but you will rebuild and life will move on. When you doubt this, look at your fellows in Saipan, Tinian, Luzon, and Kyushu. They feel your pain.
BC Cook, PhD lived on Saipan and has taught history for over 30 years. He is a director and historian at Sealark Exploration.
