Tedx Manoa

So, Shani and I went to the Tedx Manoa conference this past Friday which was held at UH Manoa.  It's a shame more of our classmates and friends couldn't make it, we remarked, especially with three of our Kamehameha 94 graduates were speakers.  I was also interested to hear 'Umi Perkins speak because he happens to be my Political Science teacher, and I was hoping to meet him.  That landed up not happening, though, because I hadn't even realized it was him.  His picture on our class website didn't quite match up with the guy I saw speak.

Anyway, this is going to be a quick blog, but I just wanted to touch on some points.  Each speaker had something I could relate to or something I could take away with me, whether or not the subject at hand was of any interest to me or whether or not I necessarily viewed the subject matter from the same or similar perspective.  You'll see when the videos are eventually posted that most of the presenters were enigmatic... all were passionate.

Brandy McDougall was beautiful, her dulcet voice highlighting the haunting melodies of her poetry.  Perhaps I wax dramatic, and perhaps it's because she's a classmate whose laughter I specifically remember from English class, but it doesn't make it less true.  You'll see.  It was lovely.  Aaron Sala, yet another classmate, presented us with the lesson that I most related to and took the most from.  And it wasn't just the relatable Karate Kid summary.  Mele and Maile Meyers imparted upon me, albeit unintentionally I'd wager, the second most relatable lesson for me, and it was about forgiveness.  It wasn't even part of their larger purpose, I think, but the word jumped out at me and wouldn't let go.  It still hasn't.

But that's it in a nutshell.  There's more I can add about how I feel when I attend these kinds of events, but I'll save that for another blog or another time.