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So how are you doing?

By Staff | May 14, 2020

From left, Sue, Sophie and JD DeLoria celebrate Sophie’s eighth birthday.

It may be a dumb question at the moment. But it’s top of mind when you connect with family and friends during these unreal, unprecedented times we are all experiencing for the first time in our lives.

One thing I know about this COVID-19 is I have communicated with my entire family on a regular basis more than ever before. Our family is spread across the world – my parents live in Liverpool, UK; my younger brother and his family live in Norfolk, UK; my elder sister and her husband live in Bowral, Australia. My nephews are also spread out: the eldest in Sydney, Australia, and youngest with a newborn in Armidale, Australia.

We have been doing a family Zoom meeting each Saturday night (for us with the time difference), and it’s been truly great. Our connection allows the family to find out how we are each handling this new housebound work-life/studying/daily experience and what’s been happening in our respective local communities and countries.

One interesting conversation I had with my sister is how Australia is considering a ban on all international travel for 12 months, and what that means to us as a family and when we will see each other again.

For me, locally, as you know, I have been a Realtor since 2000. I am also known as Sophie’s mum. It’s something I will never bring up in conversation. But I know if you see me in public and you know me personally, I see it in your face that you want to say something but don’t quite know what to say. I want to acknowledge that at our time of loss and great sorrow, we appreciated everything that the community of Lahaina did for us.

The flowers, the meals, the caring outreach of messages and notes that we received, will never ever be forgotten. Of course, the loss never goes away; it just gets buried behind a mask. But I want you to know that it’s okay if you acknowledge Sophie and remember her when I see you again.

We would like to share that for families currently in need of a little help, we have $20 gift cards available under Sophie’s name at Prison Street Pizza, Teddy’s Bigger Burgers and CJ’s Deli to be used for take-out food from those establishments. All of these businesses have contributed to the Annual Sophie Swim each year, and so it’s our turn to give back to them as they struggle to keep open.

Just ask for a Sophie Card (one per family, please). We are not unlimited in resources. Believe me, I would love to feed everyone! So, it is on a first-come, first-served basis.

In closing, I will leave you with a “keep on keeping on” message: keep on doing your best, keep on being in touch with your family and friends, and keep on the belief and faith that we will all pull through, a little wiser and a little more compassionate, as we are all in this together.

Aloha! Sincerely, Sue and JD.