NO "ONE HERO"
2026-02-07
This week was Super Bowl Week in football. I was moved to tears when I heard this one interview with Mike Macdonald, Seahawk coach. He was asked about his relationship with his wife. His answer, “She makes me a better person.” For sure, I can say that about my late husband on my own path in life as well. Every one of the Seahawks interviewed also name their family support as the beginning of their success. What impresses me most is how each of the players also talk about contributing as a collective team - no one hero.
My next question is, “How can I develop the best me, contributor, for whatever project I’m participating in?” More specifically, I am on the board of the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington (JCCCW). Thinking about the “J”, “What is the best way I can contribute to helping this organization become a collective benefit to our Seattle and Washington State community like the Seahawks are doing?”
Richard Berner, creator of the U of Washington Library Archives in the 1940s, on page 44 of his Seattle History book, named the Japanese Immigrants as the greatest contributors in helping build Seattle in the early 1900s. Rich hired me in 1970 to help start the Japanese Collection documenting the Japanese In the Pacific Northwest Experience.
Getting the phone call in 1970, asking me if I would take the job, I said, “No”. That was because I was a stay-at-home mom, with nurses training and had never thought about philosophy, history or writing. My husband talked me into calling back and taking the job. That was 56 years ago. Sam and I also had a great 56 year marriage.
I’ve had a lot of synchronicity in my life. Whether these incidents are predestined or not, I am taking the path of making the most of things that happen daily and the people showing up in my life.
This month, I got confirmation of a surprise grant funding from U of Connecticut Japanese History Project and decided to apply it for publishing OMOIDE VI (Memories), book. Like Macdonald, Janine Brodine is our coach. We have 21 player/writers and have made 51 downs with several first and tens of the final draft passes for proofing through the internet. The goal is to get it published in time for the JCCCW Cherry Blossom Festival 60th Anniversary at the Seattle Center in April 2026. NO ONE HERO, several award winners!
GO TO omoidestories.com for a description of our OMOIDE project in our 35th year.