A Beautiful Blessing...

We had a wonderful potluck lunch and beautiful blessing in Peggy's room today. It was so nice to sit around with everyone and talk, laugh, cry, eat, talk, and laugh some more. Marita brought some white sage that we burned in the room to "cleanse the space" (a Native American tradition). Then Clarence led us in a beautiful blessing.

Clarence had a calabash of water that we passed around the room. We each put our "mana" in the water by touching it with our hands as we spoke about what we were grateful for and what Peggy meant to us. Then he blessed us all and the room with the water. It was so beautiful to hear everyone's reflections on Peggy and what each person was thankful for. It was a very powerful and beautiful experience. We also spent a lot of time getting caught up on the memorial plans from our awesome Memorial Committee to whom we are eternally grateful!

As the Nuuanu wind blew strongly through the house today and we bustled around meeting and talking, eating and working, Eric and I were so comforted...so relieved and so happy that the story doesn't end here.

I think that is what many of us fear, that we are not only mourning the loss of Peggy, but also the loss of the culture and community that has built up around her. As I talk to each of you, I feel like we are all feeling this similar sentiment...we will miss Peggy, yes, but we will also miss the purpose that she gave us to be together.

I think that we need to remember that so much of the legacy that Peggy leaves behind is this amazing Peggy Chun Ohana...the friendships that were forged at her bedside...and while we no longer have the purpose of caring for Peggy, we can have the new purpose of carrying on this legacy of friendship and love...isn't that, after all, what Peggy would want..for the party not to end?!