My brother, Dennis helped me get the best angle to photograph these beautiful trees.
This evening we went to a service for the husband of Art's cousin, Sarah who was lost to us several months ago. It was a beautiful Buddhist service. The minister's sermon was meaningful and loving.
During the refreshments afterwards I mentioned a memory I had of Cousin Robert to Cousin Sarah's daughters.
Tif came with her Korean-American husband, Ed to Hawaii one summer for the first time and we had a little party to welcome them. I have a feeling, Ed may have felt a little out of place surrounded by a family of mostly Japanese-American islanders, himself being a Midwesterner brought up in a first generation Korean family. Cousin Robert perhaps saw it and somehow remembering (he served during the Korean War) all the lyrics to Arirang, one of the most famous Korean songs, said he wanted to sing it for Ed. I believe Ed was very touched and I know Tiffany definitely was.
As we sat in the temple, I could see Cousin Robert's spirit standing there smiling at Ed and singing that beautiful song in his welcome to the family.
I guess it's been a rainbow shower of memories of Cousin Robert who nearing retirement wrote an essay with a bucket list of goals he wanted to accomplish before he died. He wanted to travel and see the world, wanted to be more outgoing, helping and loving not just his family but everybody around him who wanted or needed it, wanted to help his temple and community, and more. When he lay dying, Sarah read those goals to him and gloried in the knowledge that he had done everything on his list.
Cousin Robert died peacefully. All of us who were touched by him are blessed.
