One of my dear friends recently gifted me with a bumper sticker that carries with it a message I dearly love; Pono. This is one of those Hawaiian words that carries with it many subtexts depending upon its context, but generally Pono is defined as righteousness, morality, goodness, virtuous, fair and kind. It’s context in the process called Ho’o pono pono is to set things right. Ho’o pono pono is a process of finding peace and oneness in relationships. When families come to me in discord or an individual finds themselves sideways within the prayer offered by Dr. Hu Lin is often a tool I recommend. It goes like this; I’m sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you. These simple words have the power to diffuse almost any challenges we face. It is so powerful we do not even have to know specifically to whom we offer this prayer.
In the more general usage Pono can mean simply do the right thing. Do the right thing as you drive, do the right thing in your dealings with others, do the right thing in all aspects of your life. We all know within us what the right thing is, but sometimes it can be the more difficult choice to make. The reward for doing the right thing is always greater than the result of doing what is easiest.
As we step into 2017 wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all practiced Pono? The fact is, before all of us can do anything, it has to begin with one person. If you, from this moment forward set your intention of doing things in the Pono way, that would make two of us changing the world, then four of us, then sixteen of us, then, well, you get the idea. Pono.
