Windward YMCA Tai Chi Ohana
Joy Martin is a snowbird from Montana, staying in Hawaii for six weeks each year. Last week, she shared two amazing stories.
"I will never forget!"
Last year, after a late afternoon swim in Kailua Beach Park, Joy sat onshore taking in the rare yellow and pink cloudy sky. Suddenly, she saw something dark floating in the water a few hundred yards away. Not a turtle, it’s not moving. Not a dead body, it wasn’t floating face down.
Concerned, Joy swam back out. As she neared, she sensed breathing and relaxed. It was a man! He looked up from his floating position and assured her it was okay; he was only meditating. The day had been especially stressful, so he came to the beach to float, relax, and meditate. He stayed near the buoy so he could hear the chain and know he hadn’t floated too far away.
Mystery solved; Joy returned to shore. But he sensed she was still a little upset over unexpectedly seeing him and he swam back in too.
"I’m studying to be a pilot," he explained. Meditating in the ocean is how he relaxes.
"Oh! My husband is coming down now, and he’s a pilot. Maybe you guys can talk." And an unforgettable ocean surprise on a typical evening swim became a new connection and Joy’s magical story.
Joy’s background is also serendipitous. Her father was a young Navy officer stationed in Pearl Harbor on THE DAY. Fortunately, his ship was in dry dock and avoided damages from the initial attack. He survived a day more than 2,000 other service personnel did not.
Oh no! His family back home must think the worst. Then he remembered his friend in Pacific Heights had a phone. When he was finally able, he called his wife with their one-year-old daughter (Joy’s older sister) back home in Montana, to assure them he was okay.
This friend was later arrested and suspected of spying because he brought young men in Japan to Maui to avoid being drafted into the Japanese military and almost certain death. Their families in Japan were grateful for his help.
He was sent to a Japanese-American internment camp, but his two sons joined the U.S. Army and fought in Europe—most likely as part of the famed 442nd Infantry Regiment. Joy was not sure what happened to him at that point, but this local man’s family continued helping Joy’s parents stay in touch throughout the war. No doubt, this helped them stay together and parent Baby Joy.
So, you see, Joy Martin had two stories of suspense to share.
What a remarkable world we live in.
You are special, and you have a story. . . or two! Thank you, Joy, for relating yours.
[I used creative license to recreate dialogue to convey tone and pacing of the events as they were related to me.]