“I had a friend, and her father had suffered a work injury when she was young and became a quadriplegic. I asked her, ‘How did your mother do it?’ And she said it was because he always said ‘thank you’ every day. When we were children, we were asked, ‘What’s the magic word?’ And it was ‘thank you’ and ‘please.’ Saying that puts you in a state of gratefulness, and that’s everything.” 

—Cathy Song, 70, Kaimukī 

“When you’re young and starting out, you think you know a lot, and as you get older, you realize you don’t know everything but have less doubt.” 

—Andy Scontras, 73, Hawai‘i Kai

 

“Take time and just do what makes your heart feel good, to feel joy, rather than get so focused on the day-to-day things.” 

—Karen Murashige, 80, Kaimukī

“Slow down, don’t work so hard. I had a job that was all-encompassing, and I missed out on things I find such great pleasure and joy doing now. I wish I found work-life balance when my two children were growing up.” 

—Betsy Lum, 73, Hawai‘i Kai 

“You feel invincible when you’re younger, but I wish I would have taken better care of my health. I had so many operations and injuries from football and everything else.”

—Bobby Smith, 79, Mililani

“Life is what you make of it. Your attitude will set your course.”

—Lynn Tamashiro-Ching, 72, Kalihi

“Don’t try to be perfect. Do your best but accept that sometimes you’ll fall short. Laugh more often because being too serious is such a waste of precious moments that you could be sharing.”

—Jill Thalmann, 74, Mō‘ili‘ili 

“I had to leave China when I was a small child, then grow up in Korea, and later make my way to Hawai‘i. I gave up a thriving restaurant business in Korea in search of more. When we first came to Hawai‘i, I didn’t know the language, we didn’t have any money—just my wife, four kids, and a dream to make something better for them. It wasn’t easy, but I kept going. Every day, one small step. The lesson is, be strong, be grateful and never give up.” 

—Chi Hsing Lee, 95, Mō‘ili‘ili

“Make the decision to be happy. I was 14 when my mom died. Everyone around me was so upset, and one day I thought, I’ve had enough of this. I’m going to be a happy person. I remember the exact moment it happened.”  

—Barbara Tannehill, 83, Kaimukī 

“Learning to stay in the moment. I learned that when my husband was in hospice and I was his primary caregiver. I
had to take it one day at a time and stay focused on what I
could control.”

—Betsy Lum, 73, Hawai‘i Kai 

“The biggest thing that I’ve learned about life is forgiveness—forgiveness of self and forgiveness of others. Sometimes we don’t have all  the answers.”

—Iwalani Wahinekapu Walsh Tseu, 75, Mililani 

“We want an easy life, but challenges provide growth.” 

—Karen Murashige, 80, Kaimukī 

“Don’t give up hope. I had been married to someone who was very narcissistic; then, I finally got the courage to stand up for myself.”

—Margaret Okimoto, 74, Wai‘anae 

“Peace in the world and in ourselves will come when we stop fighting nature and ourselves.” 

—Kenny Endo, 72, Kaimukī 

“I was at a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, and there was a cistern with a saying from one of the monks. ‘All I know is that I have enough.’ And that was so profound.” 

—Cathy Song, 70, Kaimukī 

“Don’t judge others. Just judge yourself. I see people arguing, fighting. Why? It’s because of judgment, look at yourself.”

—Heilala Niu, 81, Pearl City 

“When I was a 20-year-old infantry platoon leader in Vietnam, I quickly learned the importance of listening to the advice of the men under my responsibility. For the rest of my life, I made sure the people involved with any job or project I was working were active participants in the decision-making process.”

—Kent Youel, 77, Kailua 

“I used to chase money, always thinking I needed more. But as I got older, I realized money doesn’t buy peace of mind or love. … Living long enough to see my great-grandkids … that’s something no one before me could even imagine.
That makes my heart full.”

—Chi Hsing Lee, 95, Mō‘ili‘ili

“Helping others accomplish things. Make other people successful, or happy, or accomplish their objectives—that makes me happy.” 

—Derek Kurisu, 74, Hilo

“Being a good husband, father, friend and citizen. Being a former Marine, I believe in that very strongly.”

—Bobby Smith, 79, Mililani

“Hearing kids at a pool or hearing children. It reminds me of my own children and my grandkids. To see or hear a happy child is a treasure.”

—Barbara Tannehill, 83, Kaimukī

“Sitting on the grass under the tangerine tree and watching the birds, the butterflies, the insects running around. I’m
not really thinking about anything.”

—Jade Chang, 94, Kāhala

“One, to be in good health. Two, to share great stories as a kūpuna to my grandchildren and to students that are willing to listen.” 

—Iwalani Wahinekapu Walsh Tseu, 75, Mililani 

“There are so many things that make me happy—time with family and friends, creative projects, gardening under the moon and stars, reading and learning new things, a glass of wine, a good meal, a toast to life, too many to name! A big driver of my happiness is knowing that I make others happy by being nonjudgmental, looking for the best in them and treating them as how I would like to be treated.”

—Willene Wainani Bell, 84, Waimānalo