Lost for words...

Rarely am I lost for words....it is with much difficulty that I attempt to express the void I have in my heart....

This week, we lost an incredible human being....George and I became friends the summer of 1970. I met George for the first time at the Rehabilitation Center of Hawaii...I was a volunteer "candy striper" and he was a patient. My first assignment was to assist a spirited and somewhat angry young man with lunch. It was shortly after he accidently bit my finger...thinking it was part of the sandwich, we realize we were classmates at "Kam School"! Little did we know, that our first lunch would lead to a lifetime friendship. We spent that summer playing checkers and "talking story" while he learn to adjust and adapt to his physical challenges. Throughout the years, George has always been involved with our class...as our Hawaiian Advisor, it was George who reminded us to always be pono and that our class embodies the spirit of our Princess and all we do and say must reflect that! He freely gave his knowledge, his time, his heart and spirit to us. In recent years, he became my Hawaiian Studies Kumu. He taught me so much more than Hawaiian history and culture...he taught me by example what it is to fully LIVE with abandon PASSION, with divine PURPOSE, with steadfast CONVICTION and with unconditional LOVE.

I am saden...I miss my dear friend who guided and inspired so many :-(
I am humbled and grateful knowing how much George made a difference in my life :-)
I believe I am a better human being because of him :-)

E malama pono, Debbie