VAPIHCS: July 18, 2025
Posted on Aug 4, 2025 in VAPIHCS Veterans
One Team, One Ohana
This week I found myself reflecting on this this quote: “Individually we are one drop, but together we’re an ocean”. This saying is often attributed to Ryunosuke Satoro, a Japanese writer known for his thoughts on unity and collective effort. At VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS), we all work together as a community to help Veterans and caregivers. Each person brings something special to the team, creating a strong support system. Together, we create a united effort that allows us to make a big difference in serving our Veterans.
Wheeling into the Games
We are thrilled to announce that four extraordinary athletes from our Pacific Islands community will be showcasing their talents at this year’s 44th Annual National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Among them, we have two seasoned competitors returning to the games and two inspiring newcomers who will be participating for the very first time.
As the largest adaptive sports and rehabilitation event for Veterans with disabilities, the National Veterans Wheelchair Games will take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Athletes will start arriving July 14, 2025, and the excitement begins with a bass fishing tournament on Lake Minnetonka on July 15th. The Games will officially commence with the opening ceremony on July 17th and continue through July 22nd.
Thoughts from Chaplain Richie
There are few things that we dislike more than irritants. However, in the case of oysters and other mollusks of the ocean, we find an inspirational example in nature of how an irritant can result in a gem of an experience.
From time to time, foreign objects such as food particles and small living creatures make their way into a mollusk’s shell. These particles are called “irritants.” To protect itself, the oyster secretes a substance called nacre (or “Mother of Pearl”) around the irritant.
As the oyster continues to coat the irritant with layers of nacre, it ends up producing the beautiful pearls adored by humans today. Unlike most other gemstones, which are minerals formed in the earth due to pressure and heat, pearls are the only gems created inside a living organism!
Oysters, therefore, provide an inspirational example of how to transform problems into precious pearls.
Oysters remind us that a key to resilience is being able to meet life’s challenges with the right attitude. What happens inside the oyster is more consequential than what happens to the oyster. Oysters understand that they cannot control everything in their environment, but they can control how they respond. They choose to create a gem out of the challenges that come their way.
When we choose to face our challenges with the right attitude, we not only achieve personal victories but also gain precious experiences that can become pearls of wisdom. These pearls of wisdom can be shared with others facing similar challenges, allowing us to gain the empathy and insight needed to support and encourage them.
Let’s resolve to create pearls from our problems, gaining wisdom that will be treasured by others.
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