HispageTONOway

A redo of childhood pictures

Yesterday, my brother and sisters planned on taking some pictures of the same site where we took the pictures when we were younger--and I really mean younger.

There are some pictures that I wasn't in it, so I just decided to appear in these pictures ... 

Mahalo to Caitlyn Suzuki for taken these pictures to last a lifetime!

Life in the midst of a passing ... Happy Birthday, Mom!

If my Mom would have lived today, she would be 84 years of age.  Happy Birthday, Mom!

Even in this time that I am thinking about the end of my Mom's life, as a memory as we celebrate her 84th birthday today, I consider the beginnings of a lot of other people's lives.  On Friday afternoon, I read about news about another team member back in my Memphis Cracker Barrel days that passed away. 

Right after finding out news of my Mom's death, I heard of a birth, and a couple of couples getting engaged. Just as there is a passing of one's life, there are beginnings of others, which always brings hope and renewal.

I know an important truth since reaching this point in my life.  It's not about what you have or done, but what legacy you leave behind. It is not centered on you, but what you have done for others. It's more about the intangible lessons of life.

I, now, know that this year, 2014, will be the year of discovering a place where I can accomplish all that I just said--and for whom.

My Mom's Memorial Service Web Site

For those of you interested, this is mortuary site for my Mom's memorial service.

With my Mom's passing a little over a month after my 50th birthday, I realized how life is now shortened for me.  I am not growing up in Hawaii in my 20s, sitting on the walls lining Ala Moana Beach Park, or on the many sitting areas around Ala Moana Center observing the shoppers walking by.  I am older. 

I have no doubt that I will be faced with more friends and family leaving this world as the years go by.  The one good thing that I learned in the last several weeks going through this mourning period is being able to communicate more often with my sisters in Hawaii and Northern California, and the really sense of family of the company that I work for right now, and the many friends who have expressed their words of sympathy and support.  Mahalo to all thinking about all that has happened in the last month while most of my family who are in a warm environment, as I am in mid-30 temperature on a clear, blue sky day!

Present working picture of ME!

I wanted to share an artwork of me that a team member drew an image of me at work when I arrived after three days back to work after being off.

 

By the way, NCO = Neat, Clean & Orderly.  It's been what I have been coaching them on during their working shifts.

They also presented me a sympathy card.

 

January 21, 2014: Date for Mom's Memorial Service & Burial ... Support Mental Health

It will be over two weeks later, we will have the memorial service and burial of my Mom, after her passing.  By most mainland standards, that's a long time.  I will be leaving for Hawaii on January 18, 2014 in the morning to arrive in Hawaii at mid-afternoon.  It will be a short stay with the memorial service and burial starting at 8:30am (HST) on January 21, 2014 at Borthwick Mortuary at 1330 Maunakea St. in Honolulu, Hawaii.  My wife and I are flying back to the east coast at 10pm (HST) on January 21, 2014, to arrive back in the states in the early evening to be back at work on Thursday.  I am praying really hard, as my sisters have asked me to say words of tribute to Mom's life.  Later, the burial will happen at the State Veteran's Park in Kaheohe.  Everything should be over around noon.  In lieu of flowers, my brother and sisters have asked that you all donate or consider supporting our battle with mental health, as my Mom deal with that for decades.  We would like to suggest two Web sites:  http://www.mentalhealth-hi.org or https://www.bbrfoundation.org.  Or if you have a mental health organization that is dear to you, please donate or support their efforts.  We believe it will be another challenge our society will face.

I will prepare for the trip back to Hawaii to say goodbye to both my parents.  Until then, life goes on.  I will be back to work later today, and will be working for the next ten days to ensure that I can get the time off for the trip.  Mahalo to all of you for your prayers, kind words, and support during this time.  I may not be able to return the favor in kind, but I know that in the big picture of life, He will!  May God bless you all with what you need and according to His plan!

On STAND-by till at least next week to fly back home to say good-bye to Mom

Yesterday, was a busy day at work (Mondays are) and personally awaiting word from Hawaii (living on the east coast) while running a few errands, for what was to happen in the next couple of weeks.  The last couple of days have been very cold, with the wind chill colder than single digits.  There's only a few other times I experienced it.  I think in St. Louis, mainly.  There might have been one time when I was in Memphis, too, but I can't remember if that really happened.  I thought we could leave for Hawaii to conduct the service and the burial this week, however, it looks because of the scheduling at the State Veteran's Park in Kaneohe, and the first day is mid-week, next week.

Hoping that we could hold the funeral service and burial this weekend, I tentatively booked travel plans to leave on Thursday, but I will have to change those flights.  The first date available for burial is next Wednesday, the 15th.  We are hoping for a date of the service and burial the same day near the weekend.  But if God has a different timing, so be it.  I am on STAND-by till 6-7pm (EST) today to hopefully get a firm date when we can hold the service and burial and, my wife and I can firm our travel plans.  I ask for your prayers.

Prayer for scheduling of Mom's Memorial Service

Today will now go down as a day I will always remember.  It's one of those days that will always be etched in my mind.  I know many don't know, but I was not as close to my Mom as I would like, and throughout the day, it's been an emotional rollercoaster.  Today, I say goodbye to both of my parents after over two weeks of my Mom in the hospice.  This on a cloudy day locally, the temperatures near 50 degrees today and will dip down to a low of single digits on Tuesday morning.

I want to express my heartfelt thanks for all of you who posted your sympathy and prayers on Facebook for what I am going through.  I read every one of you all who posted, thought about how we met, what you have meant to me, and I have said a prayer for you to be blessed in this upcoming year.  For those who even have a more distant relationship to their parents that I have, I can only imagine what you are; I can only believe it's more complex than I feel.  I pray for your comfort and healing if by my experience it stirs up any intense emotion within you!

I want to ask all those who pray that with today being Sunday our family couldn't schedule the memorial service for my Mom.  I have tentatively booked a flight to Hawaii to ensure that my wife and I had a flight to the islands.  The call to schedule the memorial is on hold till tomorrow.  Ideally, we are hoping that it can be held on a Friday or Monday.  I know that God has everything under control.  I ask for prayers for the right timing for everything.