Reflections

 I am in a happy place. Our son, Justin, and grandsons, Jace and Jayden, are visiting and we are having a great time. They are growing up quickly and before we know it, they'll be graduating from high school so I cherish this time when they still enjoy doing things with us. 

It's been two years since they came back to Hawaii, and I realize just how much I've missed the little things. Playing games like Yahtzee, Blokus, Golf (with cards), and Blackjack. Hearing them talk about their school, their teachers, and their friends. Laughing together. Going to the market. Going for walks with Iwak. Reading a book or poem and having a discussion. Playing golf or tennis. Our lives would have been different if they lived here, so in the short ten days while they are visiting, we cram our days with laughter, stories, jokes, food, and fun. 

I realize how out-of-touch I am with what our grandsons are interested in. They talk about NFTs, cryptocurrencies, creating a new NFT community, and discuss analytics. They saw an old PC tower in the room and opened it to see the different parts. They went out into the rain to take photos with their phones. Their perspectives are interesting and as someone who primarily takes photos of people and events, I am impressed. I am trying to convince them to document their photos and their growth as photographers via a blog. I have a few more days to help them get started. 

Jace took a photo of our bougainvillea plant from two different views.

Jayden captured the reflection of our frog sculpture and our orchid plant.

Jayden took this picture of the splashing water on the rocks in the front of our house.

I worry about them though.  What will their future look like? How will their school experiences help them to be more successful in the future? How will their out-of-school experiences fuel their long-term goals and aspirations? We are living in an unpredictable world that is constantly changing. COVID has disrupted our lives, but at the same time, it has brought opportunities for new ideas and new perspectives for solving new problems. It is my hope that our young people will be ready to tackle the challenges we will be facing in the future. 

The past two years have been difficult, but I believe that 2022 will be better for everyone. As we say goodbye to 2021, let us hope that 2022 will bring health and happiness to all. Happy  New Year, everyone!