gotohealth's Blog

All of life seeks food, protection from danger and reproduction, but humans are the only ones that can tell stories. Secondly, connecting with others in conversation helps us understand ourselves better. 

 

One day in 1970, I got a phone call from University of Washington Professor of Psychiatry, Minoru Masuda, asking me to take a part time job collecting documentation on the Japanese Experience in the Pacific Northwest. Min Masuda, Frank Miyamoto, professor of Social Studies and Rich Berner, creator of Suzallo Library Archives, had collaborated and found a grant to start the “Japanese Collection” for Special Collections at the Archives.

 

My degree was in nursing and I was new to the Seattle area. With two preschool daughters, had no desire to work outside the home and had no thought or interest in history. I answered, “No!” And hung up the wall phone in the kitchen of our Capitol Hill home.

 

A day or two later, my husband, Sam, unbeknownst to me at that time, did have interest in history and talked me into calling back and taking the job.

 

I did find documents and interviewed around 30 Japanese community leaders. Some of the tapes have been translated, digitized and are accessible with internet. I fell in love with history!

 

Funding ran out with the Special Collections project. Twenty years later in 1991, I decided, instead of just collecting, to create documentation. Chuck Kato, Margaret Yasuda, Del Uchida and me; gathered in my Mercer Island house kitchen and shared stories to start. We gradually wrote down some of the stories. Christmas 1993, I used Pagemaker to edit, went to Kinko to print and made booklet covers with construction paper. We called it OMOIDE (memories) - Volume I and passed out the booklets to family and friends as presents.

 

OMOIDE writers continue to meet monthly in 2024 at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington, and we are seeking stories for OMOIDE VII. Previous OMOIDE publications feature memories, with stories of difficult times with immigration, discrimination, incarceration and post WWII resettlement.

 

With a 2024 Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction - KIP TOKUDA MEMORIAL grant, we continue gathering stories of the Japanese experience. But we also seek stories from all individuals in Washington who have demonstrated compassion and gratitude, neighbor to neighbor, during difficult times.

 

We want stories from several Washington State locations. Similar to how OMOIDE started in 1991, we start with conversations. The quest for stories is driven by the belief that tales of compassion, resilience and human connection in trying times are invaluable human purpose activities. We want to find stories that cultivate empathy and understanding with a 12-year-old, when OMOIDE VII is distributed to school libraries around Washington State, to PASS ON RIPPLES OF COMPASSION AND GENEROSITY.

 This year, 2024, will be the seventh year since Sam passed. Eighteen of us gathered at the Hillcrest Cemetery for a "nanakaiki" (seventh year Japanese memorial ceremony), installment of the stone marker and interment of Sam's ashes. Sister Irene, provided us with some chanting and a short ceremony. It was meaningful.

 

As we were arranging the urn with the ashes, picture, and flowers for the ceremonial table, Brent noticed a dragonfly had landed on his chest area. We felt it was somewhat meaningful at the time. Heidi immediately  proclaimed, "For sure, Sam is here with us and visiting us from the other side!!!"  It flew away as we completed burning incense and laying flowers with the urn.

 

As we gathered for lunch at the Tokyo Restaurant in Factoria, we fulfilled the reason for having memorials with food and conversation.  Looking up the significance of dragonflies, several cultures consider them spiritually significant as symbols of change and new beginnings. 

 

Lynette, our older daughter, flew in from Burbank, Andy and Beryl drove over from Quincy. I flew  back from from a visit to Walla Walla that got me home at 6am this morning.

 

The purpose of the trip to Walla Walla was to find stories for OMOIDE VII. I am administrating an OSPI - Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction - Kip Tokuda Memorial Grant.  What I am finding as I have these sessions of conversation around the state is similar to why memorials are important. Sharing our "Heritage Values" is what each of us can do with having one-on-one conversations. I know this is one way I can fulfill my purpose in life and maybe influence a few others to do the same.  

 

I'm smiling as I feel the Love and Fulfillment of Sam and my commitment to passing on some of  our heritage values to our future generations. Maybe Sam sent the dragonfly or visited. What do you think?

Sam, you raised us up "to stand on mountains", "I am strong, when I am on" the shoulders of our family and your besties, who were there to support me!

 

I was escorted to the event and to the stage on the arms of my adopted sons, Tom and David. What a night! Do I ever have a lot of “thankful energy" that needs to be shared. 

 

To my OMOIDE friends: "You raise me up to more than I can be"!

What I realize is that it is now part of my resume and gives me credibility which I can use as I continue to SPREAD RIPPLES OF COMPASSION AND GENEROSITY, ONE CONVERSATION AT A TIME. I’m pretty good with asking question with the story sessions that I’m doing for the OMOIDE VII project. Hope I’m learning to be a good listener. Love this connecting with people and sharing.