Mokihana's Garden

Dear wahine who hit Nolemana two weeks ago. Yes, it’s me again. (And my name’s not Margaret, by the way.. apologies to Ray Stevens.) No! Do not throw away this letter! I am watching you. Open it! You know, back home in Hawai’i as kids we’d call it “getting da slippah” when we’d do something bad and our moms would whip off one slippah (on the mainland you call them flip-flops) and whack us with it as punishment. Our moms could move really, really fast! So before I do geev u da slippah, open da damn letter! (more…)

Dear Mom,

This is the first time ever that you have not called to wish me a happy birthday. I realize that we had our ups and downs, but I also know that you’ve done some really wonderful things for us and that we had some really good times together.

But despite everything, I have been in tears for the last two days because this is the first time I won’t hear you singing the entire happy birthday song to me first thing in the morning. I am sitting here at my computer with tears rolling down my cheeks because the day just doesn’t seem right without hearing from you. I feel kinda lost, actually. It doesn’t help that I never got to say goodbye to you before you died.

Sometimes I even wish I’d recorded your last year’s birthday phone call so that I could have played it today and in the future.

Despite everything, I miss you, mom. Especially today.

Love,

Your dotter

Dear not-paying attention wahine who made a right hand turn from a red light onto the highway: (more…)