People we encounter on our journey can truly change our lives. I have always struggled with patience. In fact, I used to be pretty terrible at it. It’s a bad attribute to have when you are in the business of managing people. It’s important for a leader to understand others’ situations, to be able to “step into their shoes.” I am so grateful for the life lessons taught to me by several wonderful people I have had the opportunity to work with through the years. I recently had the opportunity to renew communication with a dear friend, Leialoha Kaaihue. She made quite an impression on me when we met, and it changed me as a person, as a leader, and as a man. Ms. “Lei” is of course from Hawaii, and she is an example of a warm heart, or Pumehana Pu’awai as she would say.
About seven years ago, I was managing a business in a very rural county here in Alabama. I was looking out the window one day and I saw this lady with long dark hair walking down the road. It was a busy highway, so I wondered why she was walking. She appeared to be in her mid 40s and was dressed very neat. A few minutes later, she came into my business. I spoke to her and she greeted me with a really nice smile. She told me she was interested in a job and wanted to know if we had any positions available. There was just something about her smile, her confidence. It intrigued me. We sat down and began to have a conversation. I learned that she had been born and raised in Hawaii. She had recently relocated to this small Alabama town for her own personal safety. She had endured many years of domestic violence back home and had no choice but to come to the mainland to get away from her situation. I listened as she spoke of raising her children, and the twenty year career she had in the tourism industry. There was so much charisma in this very sharp lady.
Since her arrival to Alabama, she had struggled to find work. A small restaurant had hired her, but it was hard to live on the minimum wage and limited work hours. She had no means of transportation; this is why she was walking. Still, her spirit was strong. Her resolve, unchanged. I told her I would do everything I could to work her into our schedule.
Over the course of the next few weeks I learned more about her experiences and watched her grow in her role with our organization. She was always on time. I would go and pick her up at her apartment when I could, and try to arrange for her to have rides home, etc. Her work was fantastic. She stood out among all my employees. Within the first year, she was promoted to a salaried management position and her life began to change. She bought a car, moved into different house and spent the next 5 years growing in our company, eventually into the position I held when we met. At a company convention in 2007, I was able to honor her with an award on stage. She and I were both in tears as I introduced her and told her story.
Ms. Lei is a strong individual. She has endured so much in her life and continues to remain strong in faith. She is a kind and warm person who never judges anyone. She is appreciative of her friends, family, and loved ones. She has taught me so much about not judging someone before you get to know them. She is an example of unconditional friendship.
Both our careers went in different directions and we lost touch. Fortunately, through Facebook, we were able to connect once again earlier this year. I am excited to learn that she is returning to Alabama later in the year. I have promised to help in her career search, and I am looking forward to seeing my friend again. We serve such a wonderful God. He places people along our journey to shape us into the people he intends for us to be. At a time when I needed to learn patience, tolerance, and selflessness, he sent me a teacher, one with a warm heart. Pumehana Pu’uwai.
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