Comments on: Guest Post: When Earth and Ocean Shook, Aunty Did Too http://www.the-exponent.com/2009/10/03/guest-post-when-earth-and-ocean-shook-aunty-did-too-samoa-tsunami-didn%e2%80%99t-take-everything/ Am I Not a Woman and a Sister? Sat, 31 Jul 2010 22:13:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: D'Arcy http://www.the-exponent.com/2009/10/03/guest-post-when-earth-and-ocean-shook-aunty-did-too-samoa-tsunami-didn%e2%80%99t-take-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-13172 D'Arcy Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:08:03 +0000 http://the-exponent.com/?p=3489#comment-13172 Use it Kiri! Use! Use it Kiri! Use!

]]> By: Kiri Close http://www.the-exponent.com/2009/10/03/guest-post-when-earth-and-ocean-shook-aunty-did-too-samoa-tsunami-didn%e2%80%99t-take-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-13171 Kiri Close Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:23:00 +0000 http://the-exponent.com/?p=3489#comment-13171 Thank you all/Fa'afetai tele lava, for offering such wonderful well wishes and sweet, sweet words of healing for myself and for my Samoan people. KELLY ANN: So happy you noticed that little bit I added about "Spirits of dead relatives"--I do feel they did not abandon my aunty. And you are right--the world, on a dime, can absolutely change without warning! Part of our planetary dynamics on so many levels, I guess. Excellent insight. DEBORAH: Yes, thank goodness for Facebook! The day it occurred, and for a couple days following, Samoans (like, EVERYWHERE, so it seemed) were glued to FB to swap info, ask questions, share vids & newslinks, offering moral support and humor, etc. (Digital Pacific 'ohana', I guess). At the same time, it was sad for me to be away from home and everyone when it all went down--you articulated exactly how I felt/feel in that regard. KIRSTEN: Keep those prayers acomin', girl! Need every one of them. CAROLINE: Thank you for the compliments on the writing, and also recognizing my typically courageous (& favorite aunt) Aunty Liti. I think I personally would not be so quick to move into the waters the way she did, but it certainly has me asking myself what I would do personally in that situation: dive in, or wait it out? D'ARCY: Thank you, also, for compliments on the craft of writing. I just felt so compelled in a really, really good (and needful way) to type and shape my loss, particularly being so geographically distant from my Pacific Island home, family, and friends. Thank you also for 'energy' you sent--I like how you used that lexicon (and with your permission, I will steal your usage of it from here, and utilize it elsewhere in my writings? :o). ALISA: You,too--thank you for the very heartfelt well wishes and thoughts. I really like how you said how this guest blog topic, "really brings home this disaster for me" -- as many times, disasters occur in places that we may not have any connection to, and I'm so pleased that my teeny bit of written expression drew you in. Thank you kindly, sweetly for that. Fa'afetai tele lava ma le soifua, --kiri :o) Thank you all/Fa’afetai tele lava, for offering such wonderful well wishes and sweet, sweet words of healing for myself and for my Samoan people.

KELLY ANN: So happy you noticed that little bit I added about “Spirits of dead relatives”–I do feel they did not abandon my aunty. And you are right–the world, on a dime, can absolutely change without warning! Part of our planetary dynamics on so many levels, I guess. Excellent insight.

DEBORAH: Yes, thank goodness for Facebook! The day it occurred, and for a couple days following, Samoans (like, EVERYWHERE, so it seemed) were glued to FB to swap info, ask questions, share vids & newslinks, offering moral support and humor, etc. (Digital Pacific ‘ohana’, I guess). At the same time, it was sad for me to be away from home and everyone when it all went down–you articulated exactly how I felt/feel in that regard.

KIRSTEN: Keep those prayers acomin’, girl! Need every one of them.

CAROLINE: Thank you for the compliments on the writing, and also recognizing my typically courageous (& favorite aunt) Aunty Liti. I think I personally would not be so quick to move into the waters the way she did, but it certainly has me asking myself what I would do personally in that situation: dive in, or wait it out?

D’ARCY: Thank you, also, for compliments on the craft of writing. I just felt so compelled in a really, really good (and needful way) to type and shape my loss, particularly being so geographically distant from my Pacific Island home, family, and friends. Thank you also for ‘energy’ you sent–I like how you used that lexicon (and with your permission, I will steal your usage of it from here, and utilize it elsewhere in my writings? :o ).

ALISA: You,too–thank you for the very heartfelt well wishes and thoughts. I really like how you said how this guest blog topic, “really brings home this disaster for me” — as many times, disasters occur in places that we may not have any connection to, and I’m so pleased that my teeny bit of written expression drew you in. Thank you kindly, sweetly for that.

Fa’afetai tele lava ma le soifua,
–kiri :o )

]]> By: Alisa http://www.the-exponent.com/2009/10/03/guest-post-when-earth-and-ocean-shook-aunty-did-too-samoa-tsunami-didn%e2%80%99t-take-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-13170 Alisa Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:58:15 +0000 http://the-exponent.com/?p=3489#comment-13170 What a great story that really brings home this disaster for me. I hope and wish the best for everyone during this very hard time. What a great story that really brings home this disaster for me. I hope and wish the best for everyone during this very hard time.

]]> By: D'Arcy http://www.the-exponent.com/2009/10/03/guest-post-when-earth-and-ocean-shook-aunty-did-too-samoa-tsunami-didn%e2%80%99t-take-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-13169 D'Arcy Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:49:47 +0000 http://the-exponent.com/?p=3489#comment-13169 So touching and beautifully crafted. I send all my good energy and thougths to your homeland and your family. Thank you for sharing. So touching and beautifully crafted. I send all my good energy and thougths to your homeland and your family. Thank you for sharing.

]]> By: Caroline http://www.the-exponent.com/2009/10/03/guest-post-when-earth-and-ocean-shook-aunty-did-too-samoa-tsunami-didn%e2%80%99t-take-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-13168 Caroline Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:34:44 +0000 http://the-exponent.com/?p=3489#comment-13168 Kiri, This is beautifully written. Thank you for documenting your Aunty Liti's story - what a courageous person. My thoughts are with you and your family. Kiri,
This is beautifully written. Thank you for documenting your Aunty Liti’s story – what a courageous person. My thoughts are with you and your family.

]]> By: Kirsten http://www.the-exponent.com/2009/10/03/guest-post-when-earth-and-ocean-shook-aunty-did-too-samoa-tsunami-didn%e2%80%99t-take-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-13167 Kirsten Sun, 04 Oct 2009 02:41:13 +0000 http://the-exponent.com/?p=3489#comment-13167 Kiri, My prayers are with you, your family, and all affected by the disaster. Thank you for writing this post. Love you, girl! Kiri,
My prayers are with you, your family, and all affected by the disaster. Thank you for writing this post. Love you, girl!

]]> By: Deborah http://www.the-exponent.com/2009/10/03/guest-post-when-earth-and-ocean-shook-aunty-did-too-samoa-tsunami-didn%e2%80%99t-take-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-13166 Deborah Sun, 04 Oct 2009 02:21:26 +0000 http://the-exponent.com/?p=3489#comment-13166 Kiri: I am so sorry for your losses -- technology that brings us close (telephone/internet videos) also must remind you of how far away you are. I sometimes tune out disasters that happen half-way around the world -- it's almost too much to take in, and then someone shares a story about their hometown, their aunt, and it feels like a small world all over again. Thank you for sharing. Kiri: I am so sorry for your losses — technology that brings us close (telephone/internet videos) also must remind you of how far away you are. I sometimes tune out disasters that happen half-way around the world — it’s almost too much to take in, and then someone shares a story about their hometown, their aunt, and it feels like a small world all over again. Thank you for sharing.

]]> By: Kelly Ann http://www.the-exponent.com/2009/10/03/guest-post-when-earth-and-ocean-shook-aunty-did-too-samoa-tsunami-didn%e2%80%99t-take-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-13165 Kelly Ann Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:12:40 +0000 http://the-exponent.com/?p=3489#comment-13165 Also, I really like your line that your Aunty survived "surely with some help from the Spirits of dead relatives." It portrays the rallying of the family both past and present. Also, I really like your line that your Aunty survived “surely with some help from the Spirits of dead relatives.” It portrays the rallying of the family both past and present.

]]> By: Kelly Ann http://www.the-exponent.com/2009/10/03/guest-post-when-earth-and-ocean-shook-aunty-did-too-samoa-tsunami-didn%e2%80%99t-take-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-13164 Kelly Ann Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:08:46 +0000 http://the-exponent.com/?p=3489#comment-13164 Kiri, thank you so much for sharing your experience. The two disasters this week in Samoa and Indonesia were humbling. Knowing a handful of Pacific Islanders, I have been moved by witnessing their passion and concern. The world really can change in a second. Living in earthquake country myself (near the overdo Hayward Fault), it reminds me that I need to be prepared and not just for myself but for my community. I love the way the Islanders have rallied around each other. Kiri, thank you so much for sharing your experience. The two disasters this week in Samoa and Indonesia were humbling. Knowing a handful of Pacific Islanders, I have been moved by witnessing their passion and concern. The world really can change in a second. Living in earthquake country myself (near the overdo Hayward Fault), it reminds me that I need to be prepared and not just for myself but for my community. I love the way the Islanders have rallied around each other.

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