She’d read my piece on the stress and trauma of Hurricane Lala, and when I failed to answer her phone call, she immediately went into her “mama bear” mode, calling others to make sure I was ok.

Needless to say, I called her back as soon as I was able. She didn’t immediately believe it when I told her “I was fine” and “Trust me Mom, I am ok!” But eventually she settled down and made me promise to take care of myself and to keep her posted.

I encouraged my beautiful 94 years young mother to read again the piece I wrote, but make sure she read it all the way to the end – where it stated clearly that “I’m feeling better now”.

Yes, I’d been feeling very low, dismal really, for days. Dwelling on the storm, wallowing in the fear of its approach, thinking about my friends on Hawaiʻi island especially who have been severely impacted.

But then, when I took a deep breath, called to check in on those friends, offered my help and support, and yes even made a modest donation in support of the recovery effort – voila!

I felt better.

Lessoned learned.

Or rather lesson remembered.

When we take action to move forward and make things better, we feel better.

When we help people, we feel better.

I’m asking you now, to help me feel even more better.

Regardless of where you might call home, whatever island, or state, or country that you might reside in – Can you chip in today to help folks through-out Hawaiʻi who continue at this very moment to dig out from the mud and destruction?

Many are still without power, unable to return to their homes, or have no homes left to return to.

Trust me. You will feel good, and I will feel even, more good, AND the lives of the people we help will be improved.

Today, I made a modest donation to a GoFundMe account that’s working in alignment with Hawaiʻi Mutual Aid Network.

And yes…it feels good that I can help, even just a little bit in this way.

I cannot shovel the mud or haul around generators, but I can give a little bit of money to help those that need it, AND I can ask others to join me in this effort.

And yes, as I mentioned before I’m also making a modest contribution to Shannon Matson, a candidate for the Big Island County Council, who is out in the field helping impacted people every single day.

Why is a Kauaʻi County resident helping a candidate for the Hawaiʻi Island County Council?

Because we’re all in this together.

Shannon Matson is a totally awesome, community based, hard working, passionate about helping, smart, proactive, change-maker individual who at the end of the day would do the same thing for us.

Regardless of where you call home, let’s help these folks, AND help ourselves at the same time.

Trust me on this.

Join me in helping, and you’ll feel better.

I did, and I do.

Love you mom!

Gary