For me watching an island in operation is much like a microcosm of the larger macrocosm functioning in the world. I don’t know if you’ve read Jeff Lilly’s latest post about possible war in Iran…but I see the same dynamic at work in both places.

What most people don’t know about Molokai is the island has an 8% unemployment rate (the highest in Hawaii) nothing is produced there so everything must be brought in from the outside. Loosing 120 jobs for them is the equivalent of the Boeing layoffs after 911 or the car companies in Detroit.

What they seem to illustrate though is that change happens on the individual level. These people are taking it into their own hands to act in whatever way is in their power to do what is right for the whole. That means they had to be willing to make a sacrifice of some sort while they transition this change.

In Jeff’s post he urges everyone to write to congress and say we don’t support a war over oil. What the residents of Molokai illustrate however, is that the most effective action will result when we as individuals act on these values and stop consuming large amounts of it. We must be willing to back up our words and withdraw from oil consumption in order to make this change.

If the government has proof that we are fed up and won’t consume it, then they will naturally change with us. This is what resulted with the opposition to building at La’au Point…Molokai Ranch turned away from the idea…without support they had no other option.

The island communities are really teaching me something about the world and that is perhaps why I care so much!

I feel quite blessed by the lessons and the experience

Much love,

PK