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| 2006, Taking Home Uncle's Kaka'ako Treasures in a Manila Envelope |
Uncle Joe DeMattos made me feel like a princess. He called me
beautiful even when I was an awkward duckling. He praised my intelligence
and writing ability. As an award winning photographer and journalist, uncle once took black and white photos of me under the large banyan tree at Honolulu
Zoo. He somehow captured the essence of my heart with his camera lens.
So in 2006, when my brother Rick and I visited Uncle at his
home in Maile, West Oahu, we talked stories for a long time at his table outside and he brought out a shoebox filled with his treasured photographs and writings about his younger days growing up in
Kaka'ako.
At the time, with my successful website and sunrise blog, I was so full of the power of the Internet. I
said to him, “Uncle, let me
put your writing up on your own blog and we can continue to add to the writing
when you are ready.”
He trusted me with his treasure and it was so easy, a
privilege really, to scan, light edit, and publish his work on the web. I know I made him happy, and I was
honored to collaborate with him. And as life shows us over and over again, when
you plant a small seed with love, you reap a garden of unending joy... Uncle's sweet stories helped create the rebirth of his beloved Kaka'ako.
Love renews and expands. Uncle taught me this, too.
The holidays are a special time for ohana and memories are
clear and precious. We miss those who are gone even more. But the miracle is this: No one ever dies—they
live on in your heart.
Rumi wrote: “Keep knocking and the joy inside will
eventually open a window and look out to see who's there.“
Aloha and love to everyone...
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| Me, 18, at Honolulu Zoo, Photo by Joseph DeMattos |
P.S. On 11.28.17 I finally got to see my Uncle Joe's mural in person. Here we are, together again. Life is a celebration of passionate colors, Uncle...
