memories are made of this

Those of us who work in the Japanese Canadian community do it for different reasons – some out of a sense of duty, some because it runs in the family, some because they want to make a difference, and some  because, well, it just worked out that way. But whatever our reasons (and often they’re a combination of the above), none of us spend too much time thinking about the big picture. I know my mother, Fumiko Greenaway, didn’t. She just went about her business every day, supporting the community the best she knew how. She was a great example to me, even if I didn’t always appreciate it at the time. 

The big picture comes later of course, when we take stock of where we are as a community, and how far we’ve come. And we see that so much of what we’ve achieved can be attributed those who have committed themselves over the years, day in and day out, to building a better, a stronger, a more cohesive community. 

Betty Inouye, who passed away this past June, was one of those people. Reading the tributes by her three daughters, Lori, Adele, and Teri, starting on page 20, you get a sense of the commitment that she had to the betterment of others – her children, her students, and her community. One has only to look at the life of her own father, Dr. Masajiro Miyazaki, to see where she got her sense of drive and purpose. 

I don’t imagine Betty spent too much time reflecting back on her achievements, but I hope she got some quiet satisfaction in her later years knowing what she meant to so many people.