We don’t know about you, but yard work is not a chore that most of us look forward to. Not our classmate, Morris Ho. He not only works in his own yard, but volunteers to do the yards of his elderly neighbors. Please note that as a ’69 graduate, the term “elderly” is now a constantly moving target.
For most people, performing a major trimming of a stranger’s huge mango tree may seem daunting, but not for a certified master gardener, a title Morris earned in 2010 by going through a fairly rigorous program. This is just one of the many tasks Morris has done for several of his neighbors. It all started with Morris asking a neighbor if she needed help with her yard. Apparently her children did not have the time or interest to help, and the yard was too overwhelming for her to handle at her age. With Morris’ weeding, raking and trimming, her yard soon became usable, clean and attractive. Helping one neighbor became two, which then became three.
An attractive, maintained yard is a small part of what Morris brings into the lives of his now three friends. Morris has met seniors who have outlived many of their friends and, to compound matters, their children or relatives are unable to help them because they’re wrapped up in their careers, their own children’s activities, or are generally not part of their lives. Studies have shown that loneliness is a major risk factor for depression, contributes to cognitive decline and risk of dementia, and can negatively affect both physical and mental health. Through such gardening tasks, Morris is able to engage seniors who may have been forgotten and he provides joy, company and a valuable physical service to his three elderly friends.
In high school, Morris did not take any classes in horticulture or showed any interest in gardening. Like most of us at Kaimuki High School, Morris didn’t think of himself as part of any group or clique but as just someone with a few good friends that he hung around with. Now he is the prized friend that his neighbors depend on, both for companionship and his gardening skills.
