 Mark Schwab, the host of Think Tech Hawaii's Law Across the Sea program. Today we are going across the sea of daily life to talk with Morris Atta. Morris is the deputy director of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and I got to know him through his positive Facebook posts. During this stressful and depressing time in the world, Morris regularly posts encouraging words on his Facebook page and I've asked him to discuss how he maintains a positive attitude despite all the depressing current events and to share a few of his favorite quotes. Aloha Morris, it's good to see you. Aloha. Thank you for being my guest today. I really, you know, when I saw some of your Facebook posts, they're really good. They seem to be really relevant and they caught me and I want to start off by pointing out one that is an example of a recent post that really resonated with me, especially at this time in my life. Let's put up the first post. Choose joy. Don't wait for things to get easier, simpler, better. Life will always be complicated. Learn to be happy right now. Otherwise, you'll run out of time. Morris, I really like that quote and I mean, at the time in my life I think, yeah, we got to be happy. But why did you post this quote on your Facebook? What motivated you? Well, like you said, there's a lot going on out there that, you know, people find very depressing or demoralizing. And you know, I, you know, I've always thought that, you know, a lot of people's perceptions of the world and the suffering that ensues is a result of how they perceive the world. And I came across this term, you know, called joyful mind, joyful mindfulness, and basically just being aware of the things of beauty and joy that are around you, rather than focusing on all of the negativity and suffering that seems to be broadcast everywhere. And that's kind of where that quote came from. That's, it's a reminder more to myself, but also to everyone else reading it, that that's how I should be, you know, reacting to the world. Well, I like that you put it out there and I like that you share it because I think it's important to share these things and to show some positive words and a positive attitude. Now, I want you to talk a little bit about your background and then we'll go into some more quotes, but, you know, we, we, we local boys, we always ask, where did you go to school? So where did you go to school? Tell us, you know, how that affected your, your life? Yeah, well, you know, I guess I should go back to my family origin is that we're, you know, an immigrant family and my family immigrated from Okinawa after the war. And so we basically started pretty much from nothing. And so we're all public school kids. And I ended up going to Roosevelt for my high school. But I was fortunate enough that I ended up, you know, going, getting admitted and going to Yale. And at this time, I didn't realize how fortunate I was to be given that opportunity. But then, you know, I ended up for a while as at Yale, I, I thought about what I wanted to do. I actually went to Yale to go into medicine to study, you know, neurological research, because I was fascinated with how the mind and the brain works. And that, but midstream, I just, my focus shifted and I ended up deciding to go into law. So I ended up at NYU. And, you know, got a lot, a lot of degree in New York. And, and then, you know, that was the start of my career here in law. Okay. And was there anything in that background that gave you hope? Or was there anything that was made you come to this point of having a positive attitude? Well, like I said, like I said, you know, coming from an immigrant family, you basically start from scratch. And I remember when I was young, I used to think, you know, why is it that we don't have the kind of things that everybody else has. And I always wondered about that. But then having gone to Yale after, you know, doing well in school, it made me realize that, you know, the obstacles that you, you know, encounter can be overcome. And if someone like myself can make it and succeed and, you know, achieve what I have achieved, there's just hope for everyone. I know everyone's circumstances are not the same, but it's possible. And that possibility gives me great hope. Well, yeah, I mean, and it's very hard to get into Yale. Okay. Yes, it is. And then go to law school. Also, I think probably would have been tough, too. But I'm sure having the background of Yale would have helped. Now, you went to law school in New York, and Yale is on the mainland. Why did you come back to Hawaii? What motivated you to come back to Hawaii? I always maintained a strong bond and affection to Hawaii. And, you know, one thing about Hawaii is that it's very unique. You know, they're the spirit of Aloha and the notion of, you know, respecting and loving and learning from the Aina, your Kupuna, and, you know, your forebears is very strong here. And I've always had a very strong affinity and bond to those valleys. And so it felt natural to return home and see what I could do to basically pay back what this place has given me in whatever form I could. And so I've always had that drive to do that. Okay, that's good. I like that. I mean, to learn that about you, I also went away to law school and came back to Hawaii in my home. Now, I want to start talking about some of these quotes because that's really what motivated me to ask you to be my guest today. And I'd like you to start sharing some of your quotes. Let's start with the first quote that you would like to share with us and tell us why it's a favorite of yours. Peace is not when everyone agrees. It's when we can respect our disagreements and still play in the sandbox together. And it's particularly, you know, pertinent to these times where we have extreme divisiveness and, you know, polarized thinking and behavior that people have forgotten that we can disagree and actually that disagreements are a good thing. It introduces a diversity of ideas and perspectives. But oftentimes you see it used as a weapon of, you know, confrontation and aggression. And unfortunately, people have forgotten that we can still play together and disagree. And that's where this quote, you know, sort of struck me. Okay. And you talked a little bit about your family background and also your schooling, your education and why you came back to Hawaii. Now, you came back to Hawaii as a lawyer. What was your professional journey? What did and where did that end up? Where are you now? Well, first of all, like most typical young lawyers were sort of raring to go and jumping into the profession and not really certain where in the profession you're going to end up. I started out in practicing in real estate finance and a bit of environmental law practice. And I, it was interesting because in the private sector, a lot of your decisions and your activities revolve around economics. But coming from my background, I was more interested in the aspects of law that helped shape our humanity and our social values. So eventually, I ended up first trying out the in-house council private sector to see if that, you know, would kind of provide those kinds of issues and work. But eventually, I ended up ending up in government practice. I first started as one of the research attorneys for the Senate. And that was fascinating because I got to do a lot of legislative work in the areas that I had interest in. And I felt like I was contributing to Hawaii's betterment by improving the laws and drafting statutes that protected and supported Hawaii citizens. Eventually, the executive branch noticed my work at the legislature. And I was asked to go to the executive side at DLNR as their land administrator and special project coordinator. And then I, over time, I ended up here at the Department of Agriculture as their deputy. So that's kind of my legal journey of how I ended up here. Okay. Yeah. And I can see that your personal and professional background are kind of mirrored in some of the quotes that you put up on your Facebook. And let's talk, what's the next quote? Next one of your favorite quotes and why? Okay. This is somewhat of a continuation of the last quote in that the quote being, everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth, by Marcus Aurelius. And the reason why I liked that one in particular is because of the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation that's used in the public sphere to influence people. And it's sort of a reminder to myself, on a constant basis. Remember, what you hear is not necessarily the truth and what you see is not necessarily true. And I wanted to share that because people need to be reminded of the fact that what they're hearing out there in the news, in gatherings and whatever, is not necessarily everything or truthful or does not always have all of the facts. And just to be aware of it, it's, you know, it's fine to have an opinion about things, but at least, you know, be aware that you may not know or see everything. That's basically it. You know, and I can see that in a way these quotes reflect your own growth, it seems to me, in a way in your own, your own thought pattern. Now, and let's dive a little deeper into this. I mean, there are so many things going on in the world today. I mean, if you just, you go on the news, it's sometimes very depressing. And how are you looking at current events in the world today, from your perspective? And how do they affect your personal feelings? Yes. I somewhat have a Buddhist perspective on the world in embracing the notion that everything is temporary, that eventually all phases and all events come to an end and new events and new things happen. And if you look back at history, you know, it will tell you the same, you know, lesson that no matter how bad things are at any particular time, we overcome it, you know, humanity overcomes and it changes over time. So I view these types of negative or hurtful events as being momentary. And I'm always looking to see when those things will shift. And I'm always optimistic that those shifts will occur. And that's how I maintain my optimism. You don't let them beat you down is what you're saying. I acknowledge that they exist, but I also acknowledge that it's not a permanent condition. Okay. All right. And with respect to things like Ukraine or racism, I mean, you see those as temporary events and in your philosophy, they will pass. Is that what you, is that my reading that right? Yes, you are. But, you know, while acknowledging that they're temporary and eventually they were passed and it's all a question of, I guess, scale. If you're looking at, you know, periods of history and the eras that have gone by, you know, wars and famines and persecutions, they all exist and they are, they're all horrible and, you know, need to be acknowledged as such. And you need, there's a mindfulness component to this in that you're not ignoring them and you're not letting it make you numb to humanity and compassion. But you're aware with the realization that at some point in time we will overcome all of this and it's that bit of hopefulness and confidence in the future that keeps me going. Okay. Let's go to another one of your favorite quotes. Let's go, what would be the next one? This one is a favorite. Well, let me read it. If you ever feel like you're the only one who doesn't have it figured out, listen close, life is not tidy, growth is not linear, we are all wanderers, we are all learning. And this is the part, the twist that tries to give people hope and that, you know, acknowledging that there are things that are not as you would want them to be, but acknowledge it and move on and, you know, and keep going. And it's, you know, it's an acknowledgement that we individually and as, as a whole are not perfect, you know, basically we're all imperfect beings. And let's continue to learn and constantly try to evolve to what we want to be is the message of this, of that quote. How did you start to get involved with these inspirational quotes or, you know, where did you find them and what motivated you to put them on your Facebook in the first place? I think my entire life, I've always appreciated, you know, quotes, you know, and positivity, positivity statements. But I really began to actually collect them when I got out to social media and Facebook, which is about 10 years ago. And it started not so much to be a, you know, someone who is posting to share, but more for my own personal self growth and a reminder to myself, a daily reminder to think in a positive manner. And so this constant self reminder, it's kind of like, like how mantras work and meditation work. You repeat it, you repeat it, you repeat it, and eventually some of it rubs off and it really becomes part of you. And that's kind of the concept of what I was trying to do with myself by posting on Facebook. So doing it was actually a way for you to get through every day. It sounds like, I mean, you were inspiring yourself. And where did you get these quotes? Is there a... Primarily to reading. Yeah. It was primarily to reading and social media. I mean, obviously, because I had, you know, jumped onto social media and I started focusing in on those types of those types of inspirational posts. And after a while I thought, well, this is a good idea that, well, why don't I start collecting them? Maybe I can remind myself or use them as a reminder. And that's basically how I ended up with these quotes as a collection. And so it really, it's helping you daily is what I hear. And this is, I mean, it's interesting that this is a positive aspect of Facebook or social media, really. It's being used in a good way. And for yourself, but other people like myself, I've seen it. And I like the quotes that you're putting up. And it helps me also daily. Thank you. You're welcome. But it's interesting that you say that because, you know, I was thinking about that very same thought about how most people's perception about social media while acknowledging that it is an important tool for communication, also acknowledge or rather focus on the negative impacts that social media has on interpersonal behavior and the future of how we will behave. But I also, like you, was kind of amused by the fact that there are ways to use social media that can be helpful and positive. And I think this is one of them. Yeah, I agree. There's a lot of negativity about social media. And here you have shown a positive way to use it that, you know, is helpful for yourself. And it's helpful for other people in your Facebook friends, if you will, that see what you've been saying. Now, I mean, you use these every day to get through every day. Are you positive? Are you hopeful about the world? Or is there something that still gives you trouble? Yes, I would say that, you know, generally speaking, I'm a positive person. And I do get affected by what happens to the world. But I also, you know, acknowledge that, you know, there's always going to be impactful events that, you know, bring you down, make you feel bad or you know, question, you know, how the future is going to turn out and all that. But acknowledging them and being mindful that they're there, I believe is a good thing. It's just what do you do with it that is important? And my strategy for dealing with it is, okay, acknowledge it and feel what you feel. But have faith and move on and believe that things are not always going to be this way. Basically, that's why this exercise of these positive posts are very helpful for me. It's a constant reminder that, you know, in spite of whatever may be happening in the world, I think, you know, reframe your thoughts and your refocus your, your, you know, mindfulness to the things that are positive and enjoyable. And it's helpful. And it also kind of goes along with what you're, you're one of your prior quotes about the sandbox. I mean, if you can, if people can get together and still play in the sandbox together, even though they may not agree on things, that's a positive, positive aspect. Yeah. Okay. Now, do you ever come up with your own inspirational quotes or do you ever make up your own? Yeah, I have. And generally speaking, it'll be a conglomeration or a mixture of everything that I'm seeing. But, you know, I have, but I had a quote that comparison is a thief of joy. And because I saw a lot of that, how people, you know, deprive themselves of joy by comparing their situation to others. And, you know, I also came up with this other phrase that resilience, character and creativity are the offspring of failure, acknowledging that there will be failures. And you need failures to remind you of the strength and the positive, you know, characteristics that you have. So, you know, I, yes, I do come up with my own quotes every now and then. And those are based on your own life experience and your own thoughts. And maybe also based on your history of the favorite quotes that you've used in the past, too, maybe, is that, would that be correct? Well, that's a very accurate description of how that thinking process works. Okay, let's talk about one of your next favorite quotes. What is this next one about? So, I thought, you know, this quote kind of encapsulated, well, how do we deal with everything that's going on? And how do we keep moving forward? And what do we need to acknowledge about ourselves to trust that we're going to make it? Basically, that's kind of the just and the quote reads that the only dream worth having is the dream that you will live while you are alive and die only when you're dead. To love, to be loved, to never forget your own insignificance, to never get used to the unspeakable violence and vulgar disparity of life around you, to seek joy in the saddest places, to pursue beauty to its lair, to never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple, to respect strength but never power, and above all, to watch, to try and understand, to never look away and never, never forget. And so it's an acknowledgement that you have to go through life and life will come with all of these challenges but you remember to watch without giving up and you and constantly watch so that you're aware of what is happening and still push on. And this quote was from Arun Hatti Roy. Who is that? Well, she's an Indian novelist who is also a human rights activist. And so she posts a lot of these types of quotes that have to do with human suffering and pushing through it and, you know, keeping on, you know, keep going in spite of the challenges of life. You know, and I've noticed that a lot of your quotes are like that. I mean, your quotes are not just happiness, happiness. They are recognizing that there are some downsides in life and you've got to be strong. You've got to push through them. That's life and you've got to live with it. And that's what I see now as we talk. And a lot of your quotes is just that recognition, that understanding, yet you use a positive attitude and the right words to push through. Is that am I reading this right? Just exactly. That's the message that I'm giving to myself and sharing with others. Well, let's go. We have a minute left in our discussion. What personal advice would you, Morisata, give to others, especially here in Hawaii, who are facing depression, frustration or material changes in their lives? What is your advice to them? Well, basically, first acknowledge that the pain is real. That the suffering is real. And oftentimes people who are going through these, you know, challenging times, people try to fix them. They don't acknowledge what they're going through. So first recognize and allow them to feel what they're feeling. But the main thing is that know that, you know, there are people around, you know, who will sit through it with you and that things, things do change. Basically, everything is temporary. At some point in time, it would change. And the fact, the very fact that we are still living is a record of the 100% success that we have in overcoming our challenges. I really appreciate that. And you are actually using social media to sit with people, as well as yourself, to recognize downsides, but to look for upsides. And I really appreciate that. And so thank you. Thank you for being my guest today. Thank you for your sharing words of inspiration. And look forward to more on your Facebook page. Thank you. Morisata, thank you very much. Thank you so much for watching Think Tech Hawaii. If you like what we do, please like us and click the subscribe button on YouTube and the follow button on Vimeo. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and donate to us at ThinkTechHawaii.com. Mahalo.