Lokenani

Recently, a friend of mine from Citrus Heights, California visited her German acquaintances to help them celebrate a "40th" birthday. While scheduling did not allow us to meet up until the day of her departure, it was, none the less, a happy experience to see one another once again!

I (we) have known this person, Lokenani (my Hawaiian name for her meaning "beautiful rose"), for over 20 years as well. We would see each other occasionally at work. We danced hula together and attended some functions together. When McClellan Air Force Base closed permanently, I lost contact with Lokenani. It would have been relatively easy for either of us to make the effort to keep in touch, but I (like many of you out there), get "too busy with life" and some of our friends, acquaintances, and family take a back seat. It wasn't until Lokenani contacted me (by a chance email that was sent to her from a mutual friend), that I realized, "...isn't it strange when you have friends or family and you never take the time to see or be with them or even contact them?"

So, with that said, my friends....
"Don't be STRANGERS to your Friends!"
"Don't be STRANGERS to your FAMILY!"

(Remember, you need not see them or be with them every single day--rather, keep in contact with them occasionally and let them know they are important to you. That you think of them on occasion and wonder what they are doing. Let them know that they are IMPORTANT because they are "friends". Let them know that they are IMPORTANT because they are "family").

Don't wait until they have passed from this earth and say,

"...I shoulda...I coulda...I woulda..."