Surprising Pain Reliever

My beautiful brilliant son Cory used to say wise and witty things all the time. He was a little boy who had been blessed with infinite wisdom. If you have read my book you know that he and I shared an incredible relationship. And, that when he was blind and hardly able to move I gave him permission to use cuss words to give him an outlet for his pain, anger and frustration. Well, imagine how surprised I was to see an article headline on-line the other day that was about a study that concluded that using cuss words relieves physical pain. I loved it...we were miles ahead of our time! I can still hear his little voice from the three rooms away saying "S-GD-SOB!" I didn't let him use the F word. Maybe I should have...
Live Aloha!

New Life

I have been blessed to be able to bond with my new grandson. Watching him grow so quickly -- its truly amazing really. Anyway, seeing the changes in him on a daily basis is a great reminder of how time flies...how life moves at such an incredible pace that we should all slow down and count our many blessings. I told you last time about my cousin Jimmy crossing over the rainbow bridge...well, my other cousin Ralph pointed out that Jimmy was the third and last son of my aunt and uncle's to die before them. What a cruel thing to happen. They were all adults by the time they passed but still...
Kerry, David and now Jimmy were all babies to my aunt. You gotta live gratitude. And while you are at it --- LIVE ALOHA.

My Sacred Heart Girl Is Back On Track!

Well, my mom's jubilation of having my youngest with me was short lived... she figured out very quickly that Maui was too boring for her taste. So, I saw her off at the airport again this afternoon. I will miss her but its the best thing for her. She is much stronger and so much more like her old self...Thank the Lord. The illness and surgery took a toll on her and it was great to see her feeling positive about her future and looking forward to getting on with it. She learned some valuable lessons about relationships and especially about rebound relationships not being the best idea. So, now she is happily looking forward to someday having a puppy instead. Again, thank the Lord!

We lost another loved one last week..I got news from my cousin Ralph that our cousin Jimmy had crossed over the rainbow bridge. I hadn't even heard that he had been diagnosed with liver cancer. But he died from an infection caused by the removal of a skin growth. You just never know what life will bring. It is a moment by moment existence we live. So, everyone out there --- live your life to the fullest. It can change in a heartbeat. Jimmy's death was a reminder to me that love should be expressed loudly and often. Aloha!

The importance of family...

Went to Seattle recently to get a follow up mammo for my previously problematic boob. All clear and no going back until February. Great news! I also got to spend a week with my sweet husband, my hanai daughter Miranda and my beloved puppies Maile and Koa. It was a bittersweet flight back to Hawaii for me. BUT, I got to stop in Honolulu and spend a short time with my baby girl and her friend. Without telling too much out of school...not my story to tell but in less than five days things got complicated for my baby girl and she is now here with me. I am so blessed to have this time with her. I have my two beautiful daughters in one place. That hasn't happened for YEARS. And, she is feeling the blessing of being around her nephews. Sliding into this holiday season I am reminded of just how important family is and how important it is to be able to support one another in times of trouble and in good times too. Life is an adventure isn't it? Live aloha!

Life is paradise!

Living in paradise is one thing but knowing that life IS paradise is much more important. We spend just about every Sunday bbqing and picnicing at a beach park with family and friends. After attending church on the beach it is only fitting to relax and enjoy the sound of the waves...kids splashing... and friends playing ukuleles and singing. What a gift! Yesterday was no exception and an added treat was when my dear friend and former business partner Jamie and her husband Scott joined us for a while. They are here celebrating their ninth wedding anniversary. So, it was wonderful to have them stop by the beach park and try the ribs that Noel had prepared. Pastor Laki talked yesterday about gratitude and inheriting gifts while we are here on this planet. Yep, life is paradise...be mindful of how you treat yourself and others. Live aloha!

Life is a gift and should be cherished...

I have been spending a lot of time thinking lately. That's what happens when you are looking for a job and nothing is happening... not complaining because I know one will come along soon enough. But, in the meantime, I have a lot of time on my hands and remarkably I have been able to relax enough to do some in-depth thinking. Life is really short and such a gift that we all need to take the time to prioritize...be grateful for what we have and especially live our lives in such a way that we can be proud of how we spend our time here on this planet. My son told a group of people once that he knew that when he crossed over the Rainbow Bridge that he would go without regrets knowing that he had lived his life the best way he could. What wisdom! I am grateful that he taught me that lesson. I know that living with intention is what God wants from me. Cory was my example and I strive to be like him.
Live aloha.

Grateful for life's blessings

I received the sweetest card in the mail the other day from some friends who live in the NW. I first met them awhile ago when I conducted a bereaved parents weekend retreat. I won't use their names without permission so for now I will just call them "my friends". Anyway, their little guy passed away and of course they were struggling to cope. The retreat helped each one get a glimpse of how the other was feeling. The dad was 'doing' and the mom was crying. She felt like he wasn't grieving or being supportive to her cuz he was always off doing something...sometimes it was something that looked like fun. Her crying was probably frightening for him and maybe he wasn't as supportive as he could have been. Well, that is unfortunately a very typical response to losing a child and also the way couples come apart at the seams. The retreat experience was only two days long but it really helped my friends put things in perspective and start healing together as a couple and as grieving parents. Their card was to thank me for helping them. I am grateful to them for sharing with me how much the workshop meant to them. Also just happy that they are doing so much better. Life is a struggle on a good day but if you have someone who is there for you it makes the struggles that much easier to handle. Aloha!