Many people always say to me “No good deed goes unpunished” every time I try to do something nice for someone. Whether it is through my volunteering, or if I buy something for a friend ‘just because’ people like to remind me that being nice may not necessarily mean that people will do the same for me. 

When I hear this, instead, I like to think about  the Hawaiian phrase ‘A ‘ohe lokomaika’i i nele i ke pâna’i (pronounced ah oh-heh loh-koh-my-kah-ee ee neh-leh ee keh pan-nah-ee), meaning ‘no kind deed ever lacked its reward.’ Maybe what people don’t understand about me is that I don’t do things for others expecting anything in return (well, maybe a ‘thank you’). I truly believe that we need to take care of each other. And I’m fortunate enough to be in a position where I can help those who may not have as much as I do. 

What does ‘a ‘ohe lokomaika’i i nele i ke pâna’i mean to you?

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