If 6 was 9

(03-08-2025) 3:11 AM - Golden Valley, Arizona

It's 1979 and I felt my family life at this time was in balance, but it had a looming darkness that was felt but unseen.

I knew that my dad was a player and my mom was just trying to keep things together.

The problem was that my dad couldn't express himself clearly and my mom was very aggressive vocally.

So the wedge between them eventually grew into the future and finally ended between 1981 and 1982.

Even though I felt somewhat secure in 1979, life in California was a difficult transition from Hawaii.

I lost my family and friends that I grew up with since 1970, and believe me seven years is a lot to a seven year old.

And the new opportunity of moving to California in 1977 was full of anticipation, hopes, fear and doubt.

I saw the move as a new beginning, and looking back now I find that I've taught myself to be fearful of new beginnings because of what unfolded from 1976 to 1983.

Because in just seven years I went from bliss to turmoil and my family life was ripped apart, leaving me feeling alone with no one to talk to, not even myself. Alone I cried with tears streaming, looking out the window and missed my life in Hawaii.

I understood that money and finances had something to do with the divorce, but somehow I knew it was much more than that.

At that time in 1979 I remember hearing about business opportunities that offered the kind of stability that my family actually needed.

But the knowledge it took to bring it all together was out of reach and the relationship between my parents were too far gone.

What would've happened if 1976 was 1979?

We'll never know.

Those days are gone.

 

1976 was a blissful year, full of wonderful memories of family and friends. I remember great times from 1972 to 1976.

Day trips with mom and dad to the parks and beach.

The Sabbath and getting ready for Church on a beautiful Saturday morning in Hawaii.

Playing with my cousins after a potluck lunch at the beach or after Church.

Worship with my grandparents, dad, mom, uncles aunties and cousins. My aunts and uncles with their ukuleles, and the rest of us singing worship songs to Jesus.

And parties on my mom's side of the family with Mahjong, beer, cigarettes, good times and laughter. While my cousins and I playing chase master outside at night under the street lights.

I loved it when my mom would take me to the tide pools by Nanakuli and we would feed the baby fish as I sat in my own personal sea aquarium.

Or when my dad took me to the Arizona Memorial as I stared at the oil rainbow seeping from the graveyard ship below.

The goosebumps quiver with me now as I write this... and my memory stretches into emotions long stirred with beauty and wonder of time spent and gone. Tears want to come as I choke them back...

Hello new beginnings, this time I'm not afraid - and goodbye to the past;

 Aloha 🤙🏽